

Class 



GopightN". 



■■-> f/i ^V) 



COF^fRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



f 



AN/iALS OF 

Richfield. 



BY ■;• 



Dr. henry nrvARD 



aV'^ 



PRESS OP 

FIERSTINE TRINTING HOUSE, UTICfi, N Y. 

1898. 



^" 






Entered according to Act of Congress, 
in the year 1898, 

By Henry A. Ward, 

in the office of the Librarian of Congress, 
at Washington. 






1st COPY, 

109C. 



•n 



PRKKACB. 



fN response to urgent requests of many residents and 
visitors, this volume has been compiled ; and the 
aim of the writer has been to present to the public, an 
annals as full and complete as possible. No attempt, 
however, has been put forth to make it a book of biog- 
raphies ; neither will there be found evidence of any- 
studied effort at rhetorical flourish or period. But 
it is confidently hoped that the reader will find in 
these pages what the writer tried to place there — a 
plain, straightforward history of Richfield. 

HENRY A. WARD. 

Richfield Springs, 

July, 1898. 



INDEX. 



PAGES 



Adventure and Scouting in Exeter, 22, 55 

Affidavit of George Knouts, 16 

Andrustown, 82, 84 

Anecdotes, 72, 81 

Anti-Masonry, 50 

Apartments, 77 

Attempt to raise Volunteers, 1812, 37 

Balls, early 39 

Bathing-houses, 55 

Brant, 14, 16, 24, 54, 83, 84, 85 

Brass Bands, 78 

Brick-yards, first 59 

British Nation, 13 

Brighton, 33 

Burying grounds, 38 

Business organizations, 67 

Butternut Road, 22 

Campaigns, political, 50 

Canadarago Belt, 98 

Canadarago Race-course, 55 

Changes, county and town, 10 

Churches, 93 

Cottages, 77 

Courtney-Lee sculling race, 68 

Curfew bell, 68 

Customs, early, 19 



INDEX. 6 

Dam and mills, first, 18 

De-o-won-go, 98, 101 

Distilleries and drinks, 44 

Druse murder, 86 

Election, first, 27 

Electric lights, 65 

Exeter, 11, 21 

Events, early, 19 

Fatalities, 89 

Federal Corners, 22 

Fire Department, 59 

Frenchmen at Canadarago Lake, 9 

Game and fish, , . 40 

General trainings, 36 

Gunset Hill, 100 

Habitations, early, ... 24 

Hatred for England, 15 

Hewes, G. R. T., . 87 

Hops, 68 

Hotels, 69 

Incorporation of Richfield Springs, 57 

Indian fight, 54 

Indian mound, 68 

Indian names, 74 

Indians, 52 

Indian trail, 54 

Land patents, 9 

Libraries, 37 

Little Lakes, 84 



6 INDEX. 

Mills, first, 18 

Mohegan Hill, 102 

Monticello, 33, 81 

Monument, Soldiers' and Sailors', 73 

Names, early, 25 

Nine Hill, 99 

Oaks Creek dam, 43 

Old England District 11 

Panther Mountain, 102 

Paupers, care of, 40 

Petrified bodies, 89 

Plainfield, 11, 21 

Points of Historical Interest, 86 

Population, 36 

Post-offices, 33 

Pranks, 72 

Pray Hill, 99 

Prize farm, 51 

Professional and business people, 78 

Publications, 63 

Railroad, ,63 

Republican State Convention, 68 

Richfield people in office, 35 

Richfield Springs, 56 

Roller skating, 69 

Schools, 29 

Scouts, 22, 54 

Sculling regatta, 69 

Seminary, 32 



INDEX. 7 

Settlement of Richfield, proper, 17 

Settlers after the Revolution, 17 

Settlers, earliest, 12 

Sewers, 69 

Shooting of Hall and Layton, 93 

Sidewalk, first, 62 

Societies and organizations, 66 

Soldiers of the Revolution, 87 

" war of 1812, 87 

" " Mexican war, 87 

" Rebellion, 48 

" " war with Spain, 87 

Springfield, 85 

Springs, 88 

Store, first, 19 

Summer homes, 75 

Summer theatre, 78 

Sunken Island, 42 

Sunset Hill, 100 

Sulphur Spring, 59 

Supervisors, full list of, 28 

Taverns, first, 19 

Telegraph and telephone, 63 

Town meeting, first, 25 

Waiontha mountain, 101 

Waiontha observatory, 68 

Warren, 84 

War-times, 1861-5, 45 

Waterworks, 68 

Weather, unusual, 41 



8 ERR A TA—A DDEND UM. 

White people, first, 9 

Wilde, Oscar, 68 

Woodside Park, 64 



KRRAXA. 



For "Jeff Davies," p. 47, read Jeff Davis. 

For "occassion," p. 53, read occasion. 

On page 87, fourth paragraph, second name should be Thomas 
M. King. 



addendum:. 

The region about Richfield Springs was called Ga-no-wan-ges by 
the Oneidas. The phrase meant Stinking Water. 




FIRST WHITE PEOPLE. 

For many years before the French and Indian war, 
although New York was a British province, that part 
of the State where peltry was abundant, was much fre- 
quented by French traders and trappers, whose head- 
quarters were Crown Point, Frontenac and Niagara. 
Many of these Frenchmen married squaws, Indian 
fashion, and lived with them in the beautiful lake 
region of the young Empire State. A little settlement 
of these was located at the site of the Lake House, on 
both sides of the brook which seeks the lake at that 
point, and was doubtless the home of the first white 
settlers in this vicinity. One of these Frenchmen and 
his dusky mate, remained as late as 1805 or '6, but the 
others left, subsequent to the time of the survey of the 
three land patents embracing the shores of " Cania- 
deraga " Lake, that were granted by King George IL, 
through agents at Albany. 

PATENTS. 

The records at the capital show that David Schuyler 
and 21 others obtained, June 3, 1755, a patent to 
43,000 acres bordering on the lake on the northern 
half of the west side, extending around the head of the 
lake, and down the east side about one-half mile. 
From this line to a point opposite the island were the 
lands of John McNeile, whose grant of 5,928 acres was 



10 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

dated April 5, 1769. The rest of the lake was border- 
ed by the lands of the Otsego Patent, granted Nov. 30, 
1769, conveying to George Croghan and 99 others, 
100,000 acres. 

Coenraedt Mattys, one of the patentees of the Schuyler 
purchase, took for his share, lot 85, which in our day, 
is the site of the chief portion of Richfield Springs, 
and contained about 1,000 acres. It was necessary to 
name something as a consideration for the transfer of 
real estate ; and in getting a title to his share of the 
Schuyler Patent, Mattys named " one barley corn " 
as the consideration, but not to indicate the price or 
value of the land. 

West of the Schuyler Patent, was a grant of 9,200 
acres, given Sept. 6, 1770, to Leonard Lispenard, Mar- 
tin Shier and others. Shier was great-uncle to Mrs. 
A. C. Van de Water, of Church street. This grant 
was in Richfield as originally constituted, but was set 
off, in 1799, as Plainfield. George Robson, father of 
Mrs. Van de Water, and grandfather of, Mrs. T. J. 
Crombie, afterward bought Shier's share. A map 
made in London, in 1779, by Claude Joseph Sauthier, 
by order of Major General William Tryon, the last 
British Governor of New York, shows the locations 
and limits of these patents. 

COUNTY AND TOWN CHANGES. 

This part of New York was included in the county 
of Albany, formed Nov. 1, 1683. Tryon county, named 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 11 

for William Tryon, colonial Governor, was taken off 
from Albany, March 12, 1772. Afterward, it was 
called " Old England District," because nearly all its 
inhabitants were of English origin, while the Mohawk 
valley portion was occupied by people who spoke a 
German dialect. At a Court of Special Sessions held 
in Johnstown, the county seat, Oct. 31, 17S6, Hugh 
Johnson, Matthew Cully, Joseph TunniclifF, Samuel 
Tubbs, and Joseph Mayall, were appointed highway 
commissioners of Old England district. The State tax 
of the district was twenty-five pounds in 1787, and 
seven pounds in 1788. After the Revolution, the 
name, Tryon, was not agreeable to its inhabitants ; so, 
on April 2, 1784, it was changed to Montgomery, in 
honor of General Richard Montgomery. Rich- 
field was in German Flatts, as the towns 
were set off, March 7, 1788. Otsego county 
was erected from Montgomery, February 16, 1791, and 
was originally divided into the towns of Otsego and 
Cherry Valley. The town of Richfield was formed 
from Otsego, April 10, 1792 ; and as then set off", in- 
cluded Exeter and Plainfield, which, on March 25, 
1799, became separate towns. Still later, April 
17, 1816, another portion of Richfield was 
taken away, when Winfield, Herkimer county, 
was erected. The following is relevant : "At 
a Special Town Meeting held at the House 
of John Rudd, Innholder, in the Town of Richfield, 
on Tuesday, the 18th day of December, 1798, for the 



12 - ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

pu.poseof *>. . and Likewise to Divide Sd. 

Town — Voted that the Town be Divided into three 
Towns, and thajk Obed Edson, Jr., Vose Palmer, and 
Caleb Clark Be^ the Committee to report a plan of 
Division." - s 

" At a Speciad'townmeeting held Feb. 22, 1812, for 
the purpose of talking into consideration the propriety 
or impropriety of dividing the Town, a vote was taken 
upon the division of Said Town by passing round, 
upon which it appeared that 51 were in favor of hav- 
ing the town Divided & one hundred & ten against a 
Division." 

At a town meeting held March 5, 1816, this record 
was made : "A notice being Read at the Opening of 
the Meeting, of an Intended Application to the Legis- 
lature at their present Session for a Division of the 
Town by taking off two tier of Lots on the west end 
of Said Town for the purpose of Erecting a Town with 
a part of Litchfield and plainfield on Motion be- 
ing made and Seconded -Voted that no Division be 

made in Said Town — by a large majority." 

EARLIEST SETTLERS. 

About the year 1755, Hendrick Herkimer settled 
upon Herkimer creek near Schuyler Lake village. In 
1756 came John Tunnicliff, from England. He 
bought 12,000 acres lying both sides of Oaks Creek, 
and built a cabin on Pleasant Brook, about two miles 
south of Schuyler Lake. As far as can be learned, 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 13 

these were the first to build permanent homes in this 
vicinity. At this time the French and Indian war was 
in progress, and Mr. TunniclifF, knowing the dangers 
of a frontier, to which he might be exposed, prudently 
left and returned to England. It is not known whether 
Herkimer left or remained. In 1765, Tunnicliff re- 
turned to his wilderness home. It is related that when 
he left his pioneer cabin he buried a quantity of tools 
of all kinds ; and 2,000 English sovereigns in a keg 
were also concealed in the same way. Upon his return 
he found his buildings destroyed, and the scene so 
changed that he could not locate the places where he 
had buried the tools and treasure. Years afterward, 
John W. Tunnicliff found the rusted remnants of the 
tools while digging bait beside the stream. The money 
still awaits its fortunate finder. In 1774, the Schuy- 
lers came and took up land on Herkimer creek, and 
built log houses. 

While the American Revolution was progressing, 
and the Iroquois had been enlisted by British author- 
ity, in a barbarous and cowardly warfare upon the 
defenseless frontiers, all settlers except Tories, that re- 
mained by their firesides, were exposed to those scenes 
and experiences of brutal violence and disgraceful 
cruelty, which will ever be stains upon England's 
escutcheon, and a shame to the British nation. 

But what is that British nation ? It is that venom- 
ous vampire, whose filthy veins were filled during the 
struggle for American Independence, with the blood of 



U ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

weak, defenceless women and innocent babes ; the life 
of any one of whom was of more value than a million 
of such carrion as sat in the chair of George the Third. 

It is that human beast which gleefully desolated the 
happy homes of thousands of American non-combat- 
ants, and glutted its charnel appetite with rapine and 
murder ; which paid its savage Brants, and worse than 
savage Butlers, for long-tressed scalps of women, and 
wee downy ones torn from the heads of sucklings. 
These scalps were stretched and dried upon small 
hoops ; and tears were painted upon the tiny ones, to 
betoken the anguish of agonized mothers, and to satisfy 
more fully the atrocious flint-heartedness of the En- 
glish ministry. 

It is that skilled diplomacy of Downing street, 
which smirks in the face of Brother Jonathan and 
holds out to him the poisoned glove. 

It is that arrant coward, which has not faced single- 
handed, in nearly a century of constant quarreling, 
any except the weakest peoples of the earth ; that 
blustering bully, which, too craven to meet a power 
anywhere nearly its equal, picks quarrels in all the 
ends of the earth with naked tribes, and mistreats 
them to death. 

It is that great robber that exacts tribute from feeble 
populations to pension its regal spawn. 

It is that United Kingdom which recently expended 
a hundred million dollars upon a queen and empress' 
raree-show, while millions of Hindoos in England- 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 15 

ridden India were starving to death ; and England, in 
selfishness and greed, witnessed the silly pageant, paid 
for by the blood-stained rupees of a noble, tho' wasted 
race. 

It is that monarchy, whose brutality and furious 
hatred furnished the gentleman, the lord, that rained 
blows upon the tender body of Joan of Arc, because 
he failed in the shameful task to which he had been 
set, namely : to sully first, what British cruelty after- 
ward burned at the stake, in Rouen's market-place. 

Every American child should nurse hatred of Eng- 
land from its mother's breast. Hatred of England 
ought to be taught as a part of the curriculum of every 
American school. The first declamation of every 
American pupil should begin with " I hate England." 
Every American college and university should be en- 
dowed by the United States government with a prize- 
fund for the best yearly essay and oration upon the 
theme : Why Americans ought to hate England. Any 
student of unemasculated American history can find a 
thousand good reasons for enmity to this assassin of 
nations. It is the patriotic duty of every American 
parent to consecrate his children to unequivocal dis- 
trust and hatred of England, even as the Carthaginian, 
Hamilcar Barca, swore his sons, Hannibal and Has- 
drubal, at the sword's point, to eternal enmity to 
Rome. 

But this is a digression. 

Schuyler, by claiming strict neutrality, escaped 



16 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

harm, but the Herkimers sided with the colonies, and 
had to flee to the forts on the Mohawk. Tunnicliff", 
being an Englishman in full sympathy with the 
crown, was unmolested by the roving bands of Indians 
under the leadership of Brant. Indeed, their relations 
were entirely amicable, as may be seen from the follow- 
ing, excerpted from Jeptha R. Simms' Frontiersmen. 

" Palatine, March 28, 1778. 

" George Knouts declareth upon oath that he was a 
prisoner with [of] Brant last summer, at old Mr. Tun- 
nicliff 's ; that the said Tunnicliff supplied all Brant's 
party with provisions freely, and that Brant made a 
bargain with Tunnicliff for three oxen for thirty-six 
pounds ; and gave said Tunnicliff a writing under his 
hand for them ; and that a servant-lad of Tunnicliff 
told said Knouts that his master had let Brant have 
500 weight of cheese and 10 or 12 cows but a little be- 
fore that time, and that the said Tunnicliff's son was 
at his liberty when he saw him there and wore the 
same token on his hat that Brant's own men wore ; 
which was a piece of yellow lace, and farther saith not. 

His 

George X Knouts. 

mark 

Sworn before me the day \ 
above mentioned. j 

Peter S. Dygert, 

Justice.'^ 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 17 

SETTLEMENT OF RICHFIELD PROPER. 

Coenraedt Mattys, in 1771, sold 400 acres of his 
1,000 to Franz Freba and Theobold Zimmerman, in 
lots 6, 7, 8, and 9, of his great lot, No. 85. Most of 
this village east of Center street is upon lot No. 6, 
Freba built a log cabin on the east side of Canadarago 
hill, north of the road that afterward led from Federal 
Corners. This was the first house in the village, and 
probably the first in the town, as now limited. In 
1774, William Tunnicliff bought 600 acres in the 
north part of Schuyler's patent, the east line running 
northerly from the mouth of the Ocquionis, to the 
town line, crossing Main street a little to the west of 
the National. He did not occupy the land till 15 
years later. In the town as it now is, the settlers that 
swarmed in soon after the Revolution, found, here and 
there, evidences of occupation by white people prior to 
that event ; but whether they suffered from the brand 
and tomahawk of that period, or sought safety in 
flight, is not known. Seth Allen, Richard and William 
Pray, John Beardsley, Joseph Coats, and John Kim- 
ball, settled in the neighborhood of Monticello and 
Brighton in 1787. In 1789, Daniel Hawks, John 
Hatch, Ebenezer Eaton, and Joseph Rockwell, took 
up lands at, and a little to the west of this village. 
The following year, Obadiah Beardsley and family 
settled near Monticello ; the Colwells and others came 
soon afterward. In 1791, John Gano and James 



18 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

Williamson bought a tract of land west of this village, 
bordering on Otskonoga creek. In another place may 
be found names of people in town in 1793. John 
Derthick came at this date and settled on the old road, 
then called the Butternut Road, that led to the lake. 
Freedom Chamberlin came two years later and located 
near Derthick. The same year Joseph Layton bought 
what is now the Egypt farm, on the northwest shore of 
the lake. In 1802, Nathan Dow, grandfather of Mrs. 
Mary Blue, of Church street, bought of Freba, lands 
upon which much of this village stands. 

In 1791, William Tunnicliff built a sawmill on the 
North side of Main street near where it crosses the 
Ocquionis. A grist-mill was erected the next year, 
where the electric light plant is, and later, near by, a 
clover-mill. The builder of dam and mills was Judge 
Jedediah Peck, of whom it was said that " he would 
survey your farm in the forenoon, preach a funeral 
sermon in the afternoon, hold regular services on Sun- 
day, and talk politics all the week." A section of this 
dam was dug away, and the pond discontinued in 
1886 ; but portions of it are still in place. Up to this 
time the inhabitants were obliged to go with their 
wheat and corn to Samuel Tubbs' at Toddsville, Wal- 
bridge brothers' at Burlington Flats, or Isaac Country- 
man's at Fort Plain. At this date, and later, every 
family had its samp-mortar for the crushing of Indian 
corn, at which the children were often set to work. 

Soon after the erection of the Tunnicliff mills, Cy- 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 19 

rus Robinson built a store on the site of St. John's 
church. Here in the manner of the times, business 
was conducted thirty years, 

FIRST TAVERNS. 

Obed Edson and John Rudd kept the first taverns 
in log buildings, several years before the erection of 
Jacob Brewster's, in Monticello, in 1797. Edson's was 
near Monticello ; Rudd's was farther south, probably 
in the present Exeter. Soon after building his mills, 
Mr. Tunnicliff built a house where the Dana house 
stands, next to the electric light plant ; and subse- 
quently put up a public house on the top of the hill 
on Herkimer street, where Sylvester McRorie's house 
is. It was first kept by Israel Rawson, and was known 
for years as Tunnicliff Abbey. 

EARLY CUSTOMS AND EVENTS. 

In the early days, nearly every family made its own 
cloth from wool and flax ; and grain-bags and coarse 
garments from nettles. Each family had a large wheel, 
and a little one ; the first for wool and the other for 
flax. Many families had looms on which they made 
their own cloth, and at times rented their use to neigh- 
bors. At first, the picking and carding of the wool had 
to be done by hand ; but afterward there were several 
carding and fulling-mills hereabout, the locations of 
which can still be seen on several small streams. Trav- 
eling shoemakers would stay at a house till all the 



20 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

members of the family were provided with boots or 
shoes ; then move on to the next house needing their 
services. These itinerants were known as " cat-whip- 
pers." The cattle ran in the woods and often ate 
leeks, which would give the milk and butter a decided 
alliaceous odor and taste. To overcome the objection- 
able taste in them, people would eat a piece of leek. 
During these early times the settlers had very little 
tea or sugar, and no coffee. Various substitutes were 
used for tea. The inner part of white pine bark, and 
sassafras root were steeped, and the infusion was drunk. 
Evin root, a low shrub with hemlock-like foliage, and 
bearing translucent red berries, was most commonly 
used. Flour was sometimes browned in a kettle with 
maple sugar, and the resulting caramel made the base 
of a hot table drink. Once in a great while someone 
would have a half-pound of tea. Its lucky female 
possessor would then invite all the "womenfolks" to 
come and "taste tea." In summer they usually came 
barefoot, carrying their high-heeled shoes in their 
hands, till near the house of tea-drinking, just as they 
did on Sundays, when going to " meeting." Later the 
use of tea became more general ; but it was many 
years before coffee was much used. Even as late as 
1835, when the late O. N. Shipman conducted an iron 
business in Springfield Center, it was a subject of mar- 
veling conversation throughout this region, that he 
gave his men coffee at breakfast every morning. 

The first birth was that of Joseph Beardsley, son of 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 21 

Obadiah and Eunice Moore Beardsley, May 26, 1792. 
The first marriage was that of Ebenezer Russell and 
Miss Moore, a sister of Mrs. Eunice Beardsley, and oc- 
curred in 1793 or '4. Judge William Cooper, of Coop- 
erstown, came on horseback to perform the ceremony. 
It was an event of much importance, and preparations 
for it as such were made. A great pile of doughnuts, 
"nut-cakes" of those days, was heaped in a wooden 
bowl and placed upon a pine table in the largest room 
in the log house. The neighbors were present in their 
best " gear." The magistrate united the couple, and 
gave the bride a sounding smack immediately after- 
ward. The health of bride and groom was drunk in 
rum, and the judge departed. The young bride lived 
about a year ; and hers was the first funeral, tho' a 
man had been killed before, by a falling tree. There 
was no nearby clergyman to conduct the services, so a 
layman, Timothy Hatch, read a chapter from the 
Bible, at the house, and a hymn at the grave. 

EXETER AND PLAINFIELD. 

In 1789 and 1790, William Angell settled in 
Exeter, at Angell Hill, and Asahel Williams 
and Hagur Curtis in the south part of the 
town ; Seth Tubbs and Bethel Martin at West 
Exeter, and Thomas Brooks and Minerva Cush- 
man on the banks of the Rockdunga. John Tun- 
nicliff kept the first store and tavern soon after the 
Revolution ; John Hartshorne built the first grist-mill, 



n ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

upon Herkimer creek. It was in this town that Brant 
purchased many supplies for his band, and where he, 
with numbers of followers, often camped. Here Abra- 
ham Herkimer was sent as a scout from Fort Herkimer, 
to watch the movements of the Indians. Here, too. 
Smith the scout was sent from the same place, and 
here he shot an Indian to save his own life. In that 
part of Richfield that is now Plainfield, there were no 
white people before the Revolution, except surveyors 
and trappers. In 1793, Ruggles Spooner, Elias 
Wright and John Kilbourne commenced a settlement 
at Plainfield Centre. Samuel Williams, Benjamin and 
Abel Clark, located on the Unadilla about the same 
time. The first school was taught by James Robinson 
in 1797. William Lincoln kept the first inn at Lloyd- 
ville ; and Luce & Woodward, the first store. Caleb 
Brown built the first mill, in 1805, on the Unadilla. 

FEDERAL CORNERS. 

Before the opening of the third Great Western turn- 
pike, from Cherry Valley to Brighton, in 1808, the 
road turned to the south about a mile east of this vil- 
lage, and ran down the east side of the lake. Its name, 
a century ago, was the Butternut Road. The lands of 
W. D. Wood, Mrs. Elizabeth Crouse, Mrs. Mary But- 
ler, O. A. Chamberlin, and John Derthick, border this 
ancient way. A road leading from German Flatts via 
Andrustown, Paige's Corners, and Freeman's Mills, at 
this period, ran over the top of Sunset Hill, crossed the 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. SS 

lowland south of Clayton Lodge, and the turnpike, 
nearly opposite Mrs. Ezra Conklin's house, and con- 
tinued south as far as the north line of Lake View 
cemetery, where it met at right angles a road running 
west from Federal Corners on the Butternut Road. 
This was a hamlet of considerable importance before, 
and at this time, situated an eighth of a mile east of 
the cemeteries. The road from the Corners led around 
the base of Freba's Hill, later, Benedict's, now Cana- 
darago Hill, across the flats near the High School, and 
crossed Ocquionis Creek where now stands the stone 
bridge on West Main street. The logs that formed a 
bridge east of Canadarago Hill, are to be seen to-day. 
Federal Corners was a place of importance. Here 
was a hotel kept by Mr. Averill ; a store kept in turn 
by Mr. Ballard, Holcomb & Weber, and Edward 
Cheeseman ; a 12-forge blacksmith shop and auger 
factory run by IMr. Vibber ; and a tannery operated by 
John Williams. Here, too, was the home and ofiice 
of Dr. James L. Palmer, a pioneer physician of the 
region, and a noted instructor and preceptor. For 
many years his home was the school, where as many 
as a dozen young men at a time, were studying medi- 
cine and surgery. When this village began to grow, 
after the opening of the turnpike along the site of 
Main street, the fortunes of the Corners began to wane ; 
business moved to the younger place, and now there is 
little to show where once was a busj hamlet. 



24 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

EARLY HABITATIONS. 

Here and there in the neighborhood are evidences of 
habitations of an early date. On the top of Sunset 
Hill are a well and the vestiges of a cellar. They 
were dug by Aaron Abbott, who erected a log house 
there in 1799. On the east side of Canadarago Hill 
stood the home of Franz Freba, at a spot marked by 
an ancient cellar. A large house owned by Hubbell 
Patchen stood where is now the Roman Catholic Cem- 
etery ; it was burned in 1836. The well near the 
house was covered with a big flat stone, and its loca- 
tion is forgotten. About a mile east of the village can 
be seen a cellar near the old Indian pear tree. Here 
stood the log house of Conradt House. From this 
humble cot the Indians under Joseph Brant, in 1777 
or 1778, carried away captive, Mary, a 13-years old 
daughter. For years she was mourned as dead. How- 
ever, she appeared in this region about the beginning 
of this century, bringing with her a daughter, her 
child by her Indian husband. They staid hereabout 
10 or 12 years, then disappeared, probably going to 
the Mohawks in Canada. The half-breed daughter 
was named Mary Manton. 

At the foot of the mountain east of the Bates farm 
house on the lake road, and near the site of John 
Derthick's saw-mill, now gone, lived at the beginning 
of this century, Rev. Calvin Hawley. Later Rufus 
Hopkins and the Bohns lived there. Farther up the 
gorge resided the Jacksons. 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. SB 

Near the orchard that stands at the foot of Gunset 
Hill was a house in which resided the Wheelers. This 
was, for a long time, the home of G. R. T. Hewes. 

FIRST TOWN MEETING AND EARLY NAMES. 

" At a meting of the Inhabitants and freeholders ot 
the Town of Richfield Legally Warned and held at 
the house of John Rudd, Inholder in Sd. town on 
tuesday the Second day of April, in the Year of our 
Lord one thousand Seven hundred and ninety-three, 
Mr. James B. Nichols, Moderator, and Mr. William 
Tunnicliff, Clerk of the Day, the following Gentlemen 
were Voted and Chosen into Office, viz : Nathan Jef- 
fords, Supervisor ; Seth Allen, Town Clerk; Alpheus 
Loomis, Obadiah Beardsley, Jr., Wm. Tunnicliff, As- 
sessors ; Benj. Hodge, John Beardsley, John Martin, 
commissioners of highways ; Joseph Coats, Robt. Mar- 
tin, Jr., overseers of poor; James B. Nicholls, James 
Farr, Christo. Palmer, constables ; James Farr, col- 
lector. The above Sd. officers were sworn, and sub- 
scribed their Oaths according to Law before Peter 
Lambert, Esq., a Magistrate who presided over Sd. 
meting. Voted also, John Rudd, Elijah Martin, 
Fence Viewers and appraisers. John Rudd, Pound- 
master. Lemuel Fitch, Partridg L. Beardsley, Ozias 
Woodward, Overseers of the road leading from Wm. 
Tunnicliff's westward, or the county road. David 
Hollister, Daniel Holly, James Farr, Overseers of the 
Northern [Brighton] road. Garret Lake, Overseer on 



S6 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

the road leading from Seth Allen's to Walbridge's 
Mills. Israel Nicholson, Isaac Martin, Overseers on 
the Eastern road. 

" Voted, that cattle shall not be fetcht from other 
towns and be suffered to feed peaceably in the woods 
or Commons of this Town. Voted, that Hogs may 
run at Large being well Yoked." 

A list of the names of the Men to work on the 
Highways in the different Wards : " 1st, Wm. Tunni- 
cliff, Daniel Hawks, Jas. B. Nichols, John Hitchings, 
Jno. Hitchings, Jr., John W. Holland, Seth Allen, 
Daniel Richards, Ebenezer Eaton, Daniel Richards, 
Jr., Samuel Williamson, Samuel Richards, John C. 
Pride, Lemuel Fitch. 2d, Eliphalet Stuart, Solomon 
Sands, Gerrit Williamson, Zera Butterfield, Abijah 
Hawks, Abijah Hawks, Jr., Nathan Hawks, Moses 
Frissell, Israel Nicholson. 3rd, Benjamin Brown, 
Samuel Martin, Elijah Martin, John Martin, Elisha 
Brown, Nathan Martin, Rolon Robinson, Seth Robin- 
son, Isaac Martin. 4th, John Beardsley, Chaffee 
Green, Zachariah Brown, John Brown, James Cable, 
Obadiah Beardsley, Jr., Partridg Beardsley. 5th, 
Nathaniel Curtice, Thaddeus Loorais, Alpheus Loomis, 
Joseph Houghton, John Baker, Samuel Eaton, Darius 
Eaton, Willard Warner, Samuel Gilbert, Capt. White, 
John Densmore, John Densmore, Jr., Eliphalet Dens- 
more, Ruggles Spooner, Timothy Swan, Jacob Gros- 
venor, Ozias Woodward. 6th, Joseph Coats, Roswell 
Raiment, Nathan Payne, Samuel Payne, James Hawks, 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. S7 

Amasa Fox, Constant Balcom, Lazarus Home, Noah 
Wetherill, Stephen Knowlton, David HoUister. 7th, 
Daniel Colwell, Jurder Sprague, John Hunter, John 
Cole, Bartrum Rounds, Joseph Carver, Wanton Green, 
Jas. Farr. 8th, Levi Beardsley, Obadiah Beardsley, 
Aaron Pray, Christo. Colwell, Wm. Sanders, Timothy 
Tucker, Ebenezer Russell, Levi Holly, Daniel Holly. 
9th, John Rudd, Elisha Andros, Ebenezer Jackson, 
Samuel Darrow, Henry Lake, James Lake, Wm. Rob- 
inson, Elijah Gray, Runnels, Michael Jackson, 

Elnathan Kyes, Samuel Latham, Chester Kyes, Wm. 
Patten, Gerrit Lake. 10th, Moses Noill, Wm. Pray, 
Samuel Cole, Charles Cole, Henry Jones, Wm. Stone, 
Wm. Simmons, Daniel Hills, Nathan Jeffords, Joseph 
Jeffords, Joseph Hills, Jacob Dicardson, Amasa Dodge, 
Hull Sherwood, Richard Pray. Benj. Hodge and John 
Martin, Com'rs of Highways." 

Other names in town at that time were : Hatch, 
Howard, Noyes, Gano, Woodbury, Edson, Nash, 
Churchill, Wilson, Aiken, Ryder, Bridges, Sweet, 
Crosby, Penny, Pringle, Cone, Loveman, Potter, Ran- 
dall, Brewster, Derthick. It will be remembered that 
Exeter and Plainfield were included in Richfield at 
this time. 

RECORD OF FIRST ELECTION. 

" Election being Legally warned Was Opened and 
held at the house of Mr. John Rudd on Tuesday the 
30th Day of April, 1793, for the purpose of Choosing 



28 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

one Senator and two Assemblymen for the Western 
district of this State. Adjourned to the house of Sam- 
uel Martin, on the 1st Day of May, there held and 
Closed." It was customary in the early days to hold 
elections on two, or three days, and in different places 
in the town, 

A FULL LIST OF RICHFIELD'S SUPERVI- 
SORS, WITH DATES OF ELECTION. 

Nathan Jeffords, 1793 ; Thaddeus Loomis, 1794 
Christopher Colwell, 1795 ; Willard Warner, 1796-7 
Lemuel Fitch, 1798-1801 ; Nathaniel Farnham, 1802 
Lemuel Fitch, 1803-7 ; Seth Allen, 1808 ; Ozias 
Woodward, 1809-10 ; Seth Allen, 1811; Benjamin 
Tuckerman, 1812; Obadiah Beardsley, 1813; John 
Woodbury, 1814 ; Isaac Smith, 1815 ; Ozias Wood- 
ward, 1816 ; Isaac Smith, special meeting Sept., 1816 ; 
Samuel Colwell, 1817-19 ; Thomas Howes, 1820 ; The- 
odore Page, 1821-2 ; George Farnham, 1823-4 ; John 
Jones, 1825 ; John Woodbury, 1826 ; Samuel Colwell, 
1827-8 ; Matthewson Eddy, 1829-33 ; Tideman H. 
Gorton, 1834 ; Matthewson Eddy, 1835 ; Tideman H. 
Gorton, 1836; Geo. Tuckerman, 1837-40; Nathan 
Palmer, 1841; G. Tuckerman, 1842; N. Palmer, 
1843-4; Selden Churchill, 1845-6; Alonzo Churchill, 
1847-8 ; N. Palmer, 1849-50 ; A. Churchill, 1851-4 ; 
John Derthick, 1855; Alvin Barrus, 1856-8; Hamil- 
ton Colman, 1859 ; Esek Cole, 1860-2 ; Alvin Loses, 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. S9 

1863 ; Alvin Barrus, 1864 ; James S. Davenport, 1865 
A. R. Elwood, 1866-9; Norman Getman, 1870-1 
Judson C. Brown, 1872-3; J. S. Davenport, 1874-5 
John McCredy, 1876 ; H. C. Brockway, 1877-8 ; Lewis 
McCredy, 1879 ; H. C. Brockway, 1880 ; Peter Seeber, 
1881 ; Olcott McCredy, 1882 ; H. C. Brockway, 1883 ; 
H. H. Getman, 1884-5 ; M. F. Clapsaddle, 1886-7 ; 
Edgar Gary, 1888 ; John B. ConkUng, 1889-92 ; J. 
D. Reed, 1893 ; S. P. Barker, 1894-7 ; L. C. Locke, 
1898. 

SCHOOLS. 

The first school house was built in 1791-2, near 
Monticello, on the road from that place to Mayflower 
Tavern, and was of logs. It was small and low, with 
front higher than rear, to give slope to the bark roof. 
The floor was made of puncheons, hewn smooth with 
an adz after being placed. The windows had no glass 
but admitted light thro' greased paper. Heat came 
from a huge open fire-place on the side opposite the 
entrance. The benches were of split logs with pegs 
for legs, and the desks were made by fastening hewn 
plank to the sides of the building. "At a special 
town meeting held at the house of John Rudd, Nov. 
23, 1795, to divide town into convenient school Dis- 
tricts, Voted, that the people in the different parts of 
the Town may form or organize themselves." 

The earliest record of locations of school districts to 
be found was made in 1817. District No. 1 embraced 
Richfield Springs and Honestville. No. 9 was set off" 



so ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

from No. 1 that year and included all of Richfield east of 
Ocquionis creek. The entire town had then 570 children 
between 5 and 15 years of age. During that year a 
school house for No. 9 was built on the road that ran 
from the turnpike to where Lake view cemetery is, and 
was located a little south of a small rivulet that has 
now nearly ceased to run. It was a small low structure 
with a narrow "entry" running across the front. Light 
came through six small windows glazed with 7x9 
panes of very uneven, much blistered greenish glass, 
that gave a strange appearance to objects seen thro' 
them. Of course, the paint upon it was red. The 
first term of school was held in it in 1818, and accord- 
ing to the custom of the time, continued in session 
three months. The first teacher was James L. Palmer 
of Federal Corners. That year the public money for 
the town was $273.92. No. 1 received |31.21 for its 
64 pupils, and No. 9 got $13.87 for 67. In 1847, No. 
9's trustees, Robert Benedict, Sidney Wilber, and Sam- 
uel B. St. John, bought of Nathan and James Benedict 
for $50, the lot now owned by John E. Feldmann, on 
Lake street, whither the school house was moved ; and 
where it did service till the autumn of 1864, when a 
more commodious building was begun. The first term 
was taught in the new house in the spring of 1865, by 
W. C. Fisk and wife. The longest terms of service in 
it were 8 years by E. D. Harrington, and 11 years by 
H. A. Ward. This building is now used for a dwell- 
ing and bottling house. Jan. 30, 1883, No. 9 became 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. SI 

a Union Free School district ; and on April 7 of the 
same year No. 1 joined it. After a long and bitter 
series of factional fights, the present site of the High 
School building, at Park, Bronner, and Center streets, 
was chosen, April 3, 1885. This edifice was erected 
at a cost of $22,000, and was ready for occupancy in 
the Autumn of 1886. The first corps of teachers was : 
L. W. Covell, Mrs. L. V. Murphy, Kate Van Deveer, 
Kittie Stewart, Fannie Wadsworth, Mary Anderson, 
Anna Austin. The Board of Trustees was : H. M. 
DeLong, James Mason, Samuel R. Ward, John Derth- 
ick, A. B. Losee, Melvin Tuller, Garrett Wikoff. The 
present efficient head of the High School is Prof. J. 
Anthony Bassett. 

Following is a list as complete as diligent search 
would make it, of teachers in the Old Red, and the 
later Lake Street School : On the old road — James L. 
Palmer, Perry Angell, Spencer Hopkins, Samuel Col- 
well, Wm. Prince, Loring Dow, Loring Palmer, Phile- 
tus Allen, Wm. Hinckley, AVhitney Cary, Mr. Harding, 
Mr. Gray, E. B. Harris, John Derthick, Miss Cary, 
Callista Elwood, Lydia Green, Louisa Starr, Callista 
Sheldon, Miss' Herron, Elizabeth Benedict, Cornelia 
Tunnicliff. After removal to Lake street — Stephen 
Mayne, Daniel Woodbury, Geo. Woodbury, J. M. 
Hyde, E. D. Stocker, Howard Colman, Mr. Newell, A. 
M. Turner, Clark Burgess, A. H. Sumner, Ophelia 
King, Miss Hutchins, Anna Tunnicliff, Lydia Ford. 
In the new Lake street building — W. C. Fisk, Frank 



S2 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

Sutherland, John Fake, Delos Thayer, Frank Thomp- 
son, E. D. Harrington, J. M. Clark, H. A. Ward, 
Frank Westfall, Miss Clark, Miss Hill ; assistants, 
Spencer Wallace, Mrs. Fisk, Martha Delong, Emma 
Getman, Mrs. Ames, Jennie and Cora Cushman, Anna 
Vrooman, Eliza Ferguson, Miss Kayner, Miss Acker- 
man, Grace Swift. 

In 1876, citizens in this village and vicinity sub- 
scribed a large sum of money to induce Messrs. Goodier 
and Cad well to open a seminary here. These gentle- 
men purchased the Derthick House, now the Kendall- 
wood, and conducted most successfully, a school for 
higher learning, accomplishments and polish, from 
December 1876, till the spring of 1886. 

From an early day till the opening of the Richfield 
Springs Seminary, "select schools" were numerous and 
well attended. For many years the basement rooms 
in the Universalist Church were used for such schools. 
The following named taught there : David L. Gregg, 
afterward minister to Hawaii ; Mr. Hannum, Mr. Car- 
roll, Rev. Mr. Cotter, Mr. Wilder, Caroline Boyce, 
Aurelia Hyde, Maria Morgan, Julia Tracy, Miss Miller, 
Mary Cumming, Lydia Cheeseman, Abbie Kirtland. 
Mr. Cotter kept what was called the Episcopalian school 
for boys. It is related that, at times, the reverend 
gentleman was given to his cups ; and that on one of 
his Mondays he fell asleep in his chair, tipped back 
against the wall. His pupils concocted a plan to 
waken him by throwing a quart bottle of ink against 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 3S 

the wall near his head, and ''drew cuts" to determine 
who should do it. The lot fell to a boy from Herki- 
mer. . It was agreed that every boy should look into 
his book, and that the thrower should shut his eyes at 
the instant of action. The bottle broke and the ink 
gushed and spattered all over the face and clothing of 
the tipsy teacher. Upon questioning the boys, each 
one averred that he had not seen the act. Mr. C's 
school was closed that day. 

These taught private schools at other places in the 
village : Charles Davis, Dean Manley, Aaron Dow, 
James Dow, S. S. Wood, Mr. Wendell, Miss Griffin, 
Mrs. Barrus, Mrs. King, Mrs. Scott, Lucy Ward, De 
Etta Pratt, Misses Churchill, Miss Fish. 

POST OFFICE. 

Before the establishment of a post office, the inhabi- 
tants transacted their postal affairs in Cooperstown or 
Cherry Valley. Their mail, and the Otsego Herald, 
published in Cooperstown by Elihu Phi'nney, were 
sometimes brought by a post-rider, hired by the com- 
munity ; at other times, a class of thirteen young men 
was formed, each member going for the mail once a 
quarter. The first post office in town was established 
at Brighton, under the official title Richfield, July 1, 
1807, with Ivory Holland, P. M. Here the office was 
continued till early in the 20s, when it was taken to 
Monticello, without change in name. These succeeded 
Holland : David Waterman, 1815 ; Samuel Chase, 



S4 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

1817 ; Daniel Richards, 1818 ; Jonathan Morgan, 
1819 ; Veeder Green, 1821 ; Daniel Andrus, 1830 ; 
Jared C. Monson, 1835 ; Jas. D. Vaughn, 1845 ; Alonzo 
Churchill, 1849; Floyd C. Shepard, 1854; Jas. D. 
Vaughn, 1855 ; J. M. Hyde, 1862 ; Lewis C. Locke, 
1873 ; Frank Snyder, 1893 ; Geo. T. Brockway, 1897. 
The first post office in Richfield Springs was established 
Feb. 17, 1830, as East Richfield, with James Hyde, P. 
M. Following is a list of its succeeding P. M's, dates 
of appointments, and changes of title : Leander San- 
ders, Feb. 6, 1841 ; Horace Manley, June 30, 1841 ; 
changed to Canadarago and Manley continued, March 
5, 1842 ; changed to Richfield Springs and Manley 
continued, June 29, 1842 ; Augustus R. Elwood, Sept. 
5, 1842 ; Moses Jaques, Sept. 21, 1848 ; Cyrus Osborn, 
June 8, 1849 ; James S. Davenport, May 23, 1853 ; 
Samuel S. Edick, 1862 ; E. A. Hinds, 1865 ; James S. 
Davenport, 1887; Norman Getman, 1891; W. P. 
Borland, 1895. 

Early postal rates were : Letters, 40 miles, 8 cents ; 
90 miles, 10 cents ; 150 miles, 12J cents; 300 miles, 
17 cents ; 500 miles, 20 cents ; over 500 miles, 25 
cents. 

The village P. 0. was kept in the American by 
Hyde, and Sanders ; Manley had it in his house, now 
The Elms ; Elwood kept it in his store on the site of 
M. Tuller & Son's ; Jaques, in the house where Jerome 
Crim lives, on Church street ; Osborn, in his house and 
store, now the Berkeley ; Davenport, in a small build- 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 35 

ing opposite the Sulphur Spring ; Edick and Hinds, in 
the Hinds & Allen building, till 1870, when the lat- 
ter moved it to the Weeks block ; Davenport, in the 
Johnson block, Main street, and later, same building, 
on Lake street ; Getman, Johnson block, Lake street ; 
Borland, same place. 

RICHFIELD PEOPLE 

In County, State, and National Office, and Years 
OF Election or Appointment. 

Sheriffs — James Hawks, 1815 ; Olcott McCredy, 
1884. 

Assistant Judge, Cotirt Common Pleas, Obadiah 
Beardsley, 1818. 

District Attorney, Schuyler Crippen, 1837. 

County Judge, James Hyde, 1847. 

County Clerks, A. R. El wood, 1858 ; John B. Conk- 
ling, 1893-96. 

Surrogate, A. C. Tennant, 1 883-86. 

School Commissioner, John D. Cary, 1890. 

Coroner, H. A. Ward, 1896. 

Members of Assembly, Daniel Hawks, 1802-5-11 ; 
Lemuel Fitch, 1807-14 ; James Hyde, 1812-13 ; 
Thomas Howes, 1818 ; James Hawks, 1819 ; John 
Woodbury, 1824 ; Samuel Colwell, 1831 ; Ivory Hol- 
land, 1835-6 ; Olcott C. Chamberlin, 1840-47 ; Alonzo 
Churchill, 1854 ; Alfred Chamberlin, 1870-71 ; James 
S. Davenport, 1875-6. 

State Senator, A. R. Elwood, 1869. 



S6 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

Delegate to Constitutional Convention, Daniel 
Hawks, 1801. 

Sergeant-at-Arms, Assembly, David B. Groat, 1845. 
Presidential Elector, Edmund A. Ward, 1876. 
Representative in Congress, James Hawks, 1820. 
Asst. Assessor Internal Revenue, Isaac S. Ford, 1862. 

POPULATION. 

From the founding of the town to the war of 1812, 
the increase in the population was rapid. In 1814, a 
census taken chiefly to report the males capable of 
bearing arms, showed the entire number of people to 
be 2,365, of which 9 were Indians, and two were ne- 
gro slaves. The number of males between 18 and 45, 
subject to military duty, was 388. From this time 
there was a steady diminution in population till 1860. 
In 1825 it had fallen to 1893 ; in 1830, to 1752 ; in 
1845, to 1670 ; in 1860, to 1543. In 1880 the num- 
ber had increased to 2,515 ; in 1890, to 2,699. For 
1898 the figures are about 2,700. In 1796 there were 
229 voters ; in 1896, the number voting was 758. 

The population of Richfield Springs, when incorpo- 
rated in 1861, was 400. In 1898 it is 1,650. 

GENERAL TRAININGS. 

In early times General Training days were occasions 
of great public interest, and were the yearly gatherings 
of the people, resembling in many respects the annual 
fairs now held. In this town these events occurred 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. S7 

near Brighton, or at Moiiticello, and thither repaired 
on training day, the gallant militia to drill. Occa- 
sionally, brigade drills would be ordered ; and these 
were held in Cooperstown, lasting three days. 

In September, 1812, Captain Levi Beardsley, in pur- 
suance of general orders, called out his company, 
" armed and equipped as the law directs," to drill in 
Monticello. War with Great Britain had been de- 
clared and party spirit ran high. The Federalists were 
opposed to the war, but the Democrats, or Republicans, 
as they were then called, warmly espoused it. After 
drilling his men a short time, Capt. B. made a speech 
in favor of the war. He was ambitious to offer him- 
self and a volunteer company for the United States 
service, and had filled his speech with sound and fury. 
At its close the men w^ere ordered to shoulder arms, 
and such as would volunteer, to follow the drum. 
Every Republican, or Democrat, responded and 
marched out ; but the Federalists remained in such 
numbers that the Captain was thwarted in his scheme 
for military glory. Later a draft was ordered, and a 
number of men was taken from Richfield. There was 
also a number of volunteers. 

LIBRARIES. 

About the year 1795, a library was started by con- 
tributions at Monticello, which flourished for many 
years, and was composed of a large number of the 
standard books of the time. In 1809, it was incorpo- 



38 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

rated under the title, Richfield Columbian Library. 
After many more years of usefulness it was discontin- 
ued, and the volumes were distributed. Soon after the 
founding of the Columbian library, one for juveniles 
was opened, and continued till 1807. In 1860 a cir- 
culating library was organized in Richfield Springs by 
a number of ladies, and was continued about 35 
years. During the existence of the Seminary, the 
Browning Daughters Society accumulated a fine libra- 
ry, which was distributed after 1886. A set of cyclo- 
pedias was given to the High School. 

BURYING GROUNDS. 

The first actual settlers found an Indian burying 
ground where the Lake House is, and here for a time bur- 
ials of people who had died in the region of Federal Cor- 
ners were made. The first burying place in the west 
end of the town was on the present farm of Clarence 
Colwell. The Church street burying ground in Rich- 
field Springs was given by Nathan Dow, in 1822, and 
deeded to the trustees of St. Luke's church, Monticello. 
It contained an acre of land on the east side of Church 
street. It is not used now, and is hidden from view 
by the Presbyterian church and a high fence. The 
first interment made in it was that of Nancy Gould, a 
grandchild of the donor, in August, 1822. Lake View 
cemetery was purchased by the village trustees in 1871. 
The Roman Catholic cemetery was consecrated in 1882. 
The Monticello cemetery was opened in 1803. 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 39 

EARLY BALLS. 

In the good old times the people occasionally re- 
laxed sufficiently to indulge in dancing, or "frolick- 
ing" as it was called. Managers would be appointed 
to make out the lists of those to be invited. Tickets, 
of which the following is a copy, would be sent out : 
" Independence Ball ! Mr. A. B. is invited to attend a 
Fourth of July Ball at Richfield, and to wait on Miss 
C. D., who is also invited." The gentleman was con- 
sidered bound to invite the lady named ; and the lady 
almost invariably accepted. At balls held in summer 
the participants would sometimes assemble before noon, 
dance a little, dine, and at once resume the pleasures 
of the occasion, and dance the hours away till day 
light. In winter they usually went in their rude 
sleighs ; but in summer the gentlemen provided them- 
selves with extra horses for the fair ladies to ride to 
the "frolic." The first dancing school was taught at 
Monticello in the winter of 1805-6 by a strolling 
dancing master, who instructed the rustic youth in 
"jigs, French fours, and figures." 

Scow-parties were popular in the early part of the 
century. There were several very large flat-bottomed 
boats on the lake, each capable of carrying a large 
number of people. It was a custom for parties to ride 
about the lake on these barges, and after luncheon 
thereon, to repair to some place ashore and have a 
dance. 



40 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

GAME AND FISH. 

This region was once a paradise for hunters, abound- 
ing in all kinds of game. Moose, bears, deer and elk, 
wolves, beaver, otter and martens, and the smaller 
game were very numerous. Wild fowl in countless 
numbers disported themselves on the lakes ; and the 
waters teemed with fish. The migrations of pigeons 
in spring and fall occurred in vast armies, sometimes a 
mile wide, and near enough together to darken the sun 
like a cloud. At times these living streams of myriads 
of birds would flow onward in swift flight nearly an 
entire day. The great naturalist, Alexander Wilson, 
estimated a flock of pigeons that passed over him for 
the greater part of a day, to have been a mile in 
width, and 240 miles long, and to have contained 
2,230,272,000 birds. The writer has not seen a flock 
of pigeons since the autumn of 1881. Fishing was so 
easy as nearly to be no sport. In the season of run- 
ning, salmon were so numerous that they could be 
caught in the hands in the smaller streams when the 
waters would begin to recede ; and before damming 
the Susquehanna, herring and shad sought the waters 
of Canadarago in vast schools. The brooks abounded 
with speckled trout, and fifty years ago these fish could 
be taken with a pin-hook. 

EARLY CARE OF PAUPERS. 

In early times at town-meeting, the town's paupers 
would be put up at auction, and would be cared for 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. U 

during the ensuing year by the lowest bidders, who 
bound themselves "to board, clothe, wash and mend 
properly" for the year. Prices ranged from 40 cents 
to $1.25 per week. When of sufficient age, the paupers 
were " bound out," the master agreeing in all cases 
that he would, when the term of service was legally 
ended, " allow and deliver one good new Suit of Holy- 
day clothes, of the Value of at Least twenty dollars, a 
good suit of every day wear, and one new Bible." 

UNUSUAL WEATHER. 

In 1807 snow fell to the depth of six feet early in 
April. This melted rapidly, causing high water and 
destruction of bridges. 

The summer of 1816 was known thro'out the East- 
ern and Middle States as the coldest ever experienced 
by persons then living. From old diaries and journals 
the following facts are gathered : January and Febru- 
ary were mild. March and April were not unusually 
cold. May was ushered in by a violent snow storm, 
and the formation of thick ice. June was the coldest 
month of roses ever known here. Corn was killed, 
and tho' replanted again and again by the shivering 
husbandmen, not any ripened. Seed corn sold the 
following spring for $5 a bushel. Instead of roses and 
buttercups, there were snow and ice. The first week 
in June a number of Richfield's Universalists attended 
a three-day's meeting in Cooperstown, and came home 
thro' three inches of snow. On the fourth of July 



42 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

snow fell. August was worse than any previous 
month, and the two following were cold, with frequent 
freezes and snow storms. Wheat and oats were har- 
vested and potatoes were dug in blinding flurries of 
snow. Hay was very scarce, and the cattle were kept 
from starvation during the next winter by felling 
beeches and birches, from which the hungry animals 
browsed. During this summer the Richfield Hotel 
was built, and the workmen were often seriously in- 
commoded by the inclement weather. The succeed- 
ing four summers were also cold ones, and crops were 
poor ; but the severity of these was not so great as in 
1816. 

In marked contrast to the brumal summers just 
mentioned, was the winter of 1827-8, when there was 
a very summery season, with scarcely any snow or 
frost. On Canadarago lake there was ice but a- little 
while. 

June 11, 1842, this record was made: "Snow and 
very cold." 

April 14, 1857, three feet of snow fell, and in less 
than a week five feet of snow covered this entire 
region. 

THE SUNKEN ISLAND. 

Where lies the shoal in Canadarago Lake called 
Sunken Island, formerly stood a real island. It was 
a small one, only a half acre in extent ; but it was cov- 
ered with a growth of trees that waved their branches 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 43 

as proudly as those upon its greater sister so justly cel- 
ebrated for her beauty. 

A portion of its small extent was marshy, but the 
northern end was bold. During the winter of 1815- 
16 there was a great depth of snow upon the ground 
quite early, and the ice upon the lake was unusually 
thick. Early in the spring there was very warm 
weather for many days. Streams were swollen above 
their banks and the ice on the lake was covered with 
deep water. The ice soon broke up and was driven 
southward by a fierce north wind, which cleared the 
northern half of the lake. Then ensued a hard freeze, 
cementing the broken ice into a compact mass. In a 
day or two a high wind from the south arose. The 
immense floe was set in motion, and by its irresistible 
weight and impact, actually swept the soil of the island, 
with its burden of trees, into the depths beyond. To 
this day the bottom of the lake just north of the spot 
is covered with the trunks and limbs of the trees sub- 
merged over 80 years ago. 

OAKS CREEK DAM. 

The building of a dam across Oaks creek near the 
outlet of Canadarago Lake, in 1825, created a great 
deal of excitement in the towns of Richfield, Otsego 
and Exeter, and town meetings were held to consider 
the matter. In Richfield a special town meeting was 
held at the house of Jacob Osborn, Aug. 25, 1825, "to 
take steps to prevent the building of a dam near the 



U ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

outlet of the lake." The following was adopted : 

"Whereas, Certain individuals are engaged in con- 
structing a dam across the outlet from Schuylers Lake, 
with a view of raising the water two and a half, to three 
feet above its ordinary height, and believing that it 
will produce individual damage, and render the terri- 
tory unhealthy, 

Resolved, That this meeting disapprove of the erec- 
tion of said dam ; and 

Resolved, That in case means are not taken to pre- 
vent the building of said dam, and the same, after be- 
ing built shall prove detrimental to the health of indi- 
viduals, we will make use of every necessary and legal 
means to have the same demolished and the waters of 
said lake restored to their bounds." 

In spite of protests, however, the dam was built. 
Efforts were made to have the dam removed, but they 
were all unavailing. 

DISTILLERIES. 

There seems to have been a considerable demand, 
during the closing years of the last century, and the 
early part of the present, for ardent liquors ; and there 
were about 30 distilleries in Otsego county for making 
whisky, which in those times began to take the place 
of rum. One stood where the Scotch cap factory is, 
before Runyan's foundry was erected there ; and an- 
other near the east end of James street, on the old 
road. The demand for beer was not great enough to 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 46 

support a brewery that was set up in 1794 at Coopers- 
town, by Mulcock & Morgan. 

Of mixed drinks, kill-devil or stone-fence, a mix- 
ture of hard cider and whisky, was the principal one 
in winter. In seasons of arduous summer labor, 
switchel, a combination of hard cider, molasses and 
ginger, was a favorite. In nearly every family the 
whisky-jug was as common as the water-pail, and upon 
occasions of assemblage, the glass went round. Drunk- 
enness, however, was as much deprecated as it is now. 

WAR TIMES, 1861-5. 

During the civil war, Richfield responded nobly to 
the calls for volunteers, and from a population less 
than 1,600, sent 115 from the town. In addition, 50 
men were enlisted in New York City and credited to 
Richfield's quota. To pay bounties, the town raised 
$62,000. 

Thro'out all the years of the war, the ladies were 
diligent in good work for the soldiers in garrison, camp 
and hospital. Many boxes of underclothing, lint, 
bandages, and delicacies, found their way to. the front 
from this region. The ladies of Springfield got up a 
fair for the U. S. Sanitary Commission, in Pegg's hotel 
in Springfield Center, on the evening of Sept. 2, 1S64. 
While crowded with people, the floor fell, and several 
persons were seriously hurt, among them Rev. and 
Mrs. S. R. Ward, of this place. One lady, Mrs. Hewes, 
died from her injuries. 



46 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

There were but few hereabout that did not heartily 
espouse the Union cause. There were those, however, 
whose utterances caused them to be called " copper- 
heads," a name given to northern men whose sympa- 
thies were with the South and its principles. In Exe- 
ter, Timothy Herkimer was arrested in August, 1863, 
on the ground of uttering "treasonable sentiments," 
and taken to the county jail. A writ of habeas corpus 
was granted by Judge Samuel Nelson. President Lin- 
coln had, however, suspended the privileges of that 
writ thro'out the Union, in consequence of the pro- 
nounced anti-war spirit in some parts of the North ; 
and Herkimer was taken to Fort LaFayette, and was 
kept a prisoner for some time. 

There was among the Republicans great activity in 
the Union League ; and among the Democrats were 
some that belonged to the Knights of the Golden 
Circle. 

Here, as elsewhere, small change became scarce, and 
postage stamps were commonly used in making change. 
Losee & Hinds, and Elwood & Bryan, issued "shin- 
plasters" in denominations of 10, 25, and 50 cents, in 
1862. These promised " to pay the Bearer (the surn 
named) On Demand, at their Store, in State Currency, 
when presented in sums of One Dollar and upwards." 
This convenient small money was superseded in about 
a year by the fractional currency issued by the govern- 
ment. 

Prices of commodities reached high figures during 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 47 

the war period. A few examples of maximum prices : 
Flour, per barrel, $18 ; A sugar, per pound, 30 cents ; 
butter, 50 cents ; cheese, 30 cents ; tea, $1.75 ; best 
yard-wide sheeting, per yard, 70 cents ; calico, 60 cents ; 
pork, per barrel, $40 ; dressed pork, per cwt., $18 ; 
kerosene oil, per gal., $1.25 ; hay, per ton, $40. 

On Monday, April 10th, 1865, came the glad news 
that the rebel army under Lee had surrendered to Gen. 
U. S. Grant. Like wildfire spread the tidings thro vil- 
lage and country. The intense suspense of four 
weary, bitter years was broken. Men, women, and 
children, rushed into the village streets, and people 
from the country came crowding in. Great was the re- 
joicing, and many were the glad tears. People formed 
in line and marched up and down, singing and hurrah- 
ing in their thankfulness and enthusiasm. Groups of 
singers united their voices in Rally Round the Flag, 
Boys, When Johnnie Comes Marching Home, We'll 
Hang Jeff Davies to a Sour Apple Tree, and other songs 
of the day. Many teetotalers looked upon the wine 
that day, and some of their sayings and doings are not 
forgotten to this day. Everything that would make a 
noise was brought into use. Every dinner gong and 
bell ; every tin horn in the hardw^are stores, were put 
to inmelodious use ; and the church bells were rung 
incessantly. Guns and anvils were fired, and people 
shouted till they were hoarse for days afterward. A 
mass meeting was held in Washington Hall, now the 
Waiontha, at which Rev. S. R. Ward and Geo. A. 



48 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

Starkweather spoke stirringly. It was a day of rejoic- 
ing such as this town never saw before, and has not 
seen since. 

Five days later came the awful intelligence that 
President Lincoln had been assassinated. His tragic 
and untimely end brought mourning to every home, 
and tears to every cheek. What a revulsion of feeling ! 
The bells that but a few days before had rung out joy- 
ful notes for ended war, now tolled a sad requiem for 
the great, gentle-hearted Martyr. Flags were draped 
with black and hung at half-mast ; and services were 
held in the churches. 

Here follow the names of the soldiers that went to 
the front from Richfield : Wm. Austin, Wm. A. Austin, 
John Ames, Lewis Allen, David Allen, Benj. F. Ab- 
bott, Nelson Bowdish, Onslow Bunnell, Menzo Barrus, 
Jno. H. Burgess, Albert Bullis, Allen Buchanan, 
James Brown, Delos Balch, Henry Buckus, Hamilton 
Bailey, Abel Bunnell, Chas. Caney, James Caney, 
Edgar Gary, Oliver Carson, Albert Cook, Samuel Chase, 
Alfred Christman, Daniel Cosgrove, Lorenzo W. 
Cheney, Albert V. Coats, U. F. Doubleday, LaMott 
Devendorff, Albert Devendorff, Delos Dockstader, 
Wesley Dexter, Abner Doubleday, James S. Daven- 
port, John E. Dana, Winne Dutcher, Henry 0. Eason, 
Irving Fort, Charles Fisk, Irving Fish, John Fish, 
Charles Fenton, R. G. Firman, John I. Finch, Free- 
man Firman, George Green, Wm. Gallagher, Vandeveer 
Goodspeed, Thomas Golden, John Gilroy, Alvarro Har- 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 49 

rington, Alonzo Hammond, Albert Ham, Hiram C. 
Hinds, Delevan Harrington, Orville Hinds, L. C. 
Huntley, S. F. Huntley, J. Henrick, Gustavus Har- 
rington, T. I. Jaques, Murtagh Keough, John 
Kane, Jared Lansing, Tracy Loomis, Orlando 
Lane, Leonard Love, Otis W. Ludden, John Moak, 
Daniel Max field, Wm. McCulloch, Wm. Mann, Richard 
Matthews, Isaac Minor, George Minor, Wm. W. Matte- 
son, Justin Osterhout, Wm. Osterhout, Wm. Palmer, 
John Rosa, John Rhyde, John Shaw, Charles Strange, 
John Steele, Albert Smith, George Stover, George Stev- 
ens, Michael Shields, Hiram Soule, Peter Smith, H. 
DeW. Smith, John Sweet, Henry Smith, Robert 
Shutes, Wm. Snedeker, James Tucker, George Thomas, 
Abram Vedder, Richard Weldon, Wesley Waterman, 
Nelson Walrath, Jay Winne, John Waterman, John 
Wright, 0. D. Welch, Alfred Welch, Geo. White, Mile 
West, Geo. Welch, Luzern Wheeler, Thomas Weldon, 
Thomas F. Weldon, AddisYoung, George Young, James 
H. Zoller. 

These soldiers enlisted in the following named New 
York regiments : 76th, 121st, 152nd, 44th (Ellsworth's 
Avengers) infentry ; 2nd and 16th Heavy Artillery ; 
3rd Light Artillery ; 2nd Light Cavalry (Harris') ; 1st 
U. S. Sharpshooters (Berdan's). Those killed in action 
were Charles Caney, Thomas F. Weldon, Samuel 
Chase, F. IT. Firman, John Fish. Those dying from 
disease or wounds were Richard Matthews, Lorenzo 



60 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

Cheney, Tracy Loomis, Wm. Snedeker, George Thomas, 
John Steele. 

ANTI-MASONRY. 

Upon the springing up of the anti-Masonic party in 
1826, after the disappearance of Morgan, there were 
strange poHtical changes in the Otsego towns. Spring- 
field, Otsego, Cherry Valley, and Middlefield, were 
strong Federalist towns ; but the anti-Mason movement 
made them as strongly Democratic. Richfield, Plain- 
field, Exeter, and Hart wick, had been Democratic ; but 
the same disturbing element placed them in the Fed- 
eralist column. During the existence of the anti-Ma- 
sonic party there were much bitterness and intolerance. 
Those who were not Masons, and still refused to join 
the anti-Masonic party, were more harshly spoken of 
than the Masons themselves ; and were stigmatized as 
Masons' "jacks." For a time during this period the 
Masons did not hold regular meetings from fear of vio- 
lence ; but kept their charter alive by meetings held 
occasionally in some attic, or other out-of-the-way place. 

POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS. 

The campaign of 1840 awakened great enthusiasm 
among the Whigs in this region. Log pabins erected 
upon strong wagons were drawn from place to place, 
and speeches were made from their open doors. A 
captive 'coon and a barrel of cider were furnishings of 
each cabin. A large cabin in honor of the hero of 



ANXALS OF RICHFIELD. 51 

Tippecanoe, was built on the site of the Brunswick, 
and in it several spirited meetings were held. 

During the campaign of 1860, the Republicans and 
the Democrats had uniformed companies, called respect- 
ively "Wideawakes" and "Little Giants." The 
former carried upon a pikestaff a large beetle, that 
rose in the air and fell back upon a wedge in a log, as 
its carrier marched along. 

In the fall of 1884, in honor of Cleveland's election, 
the Democrats held a barbecue. An ox was roasted, 
and was served December 2nd at the intersection of 
Main and Lake streets. A balloen was sent up bearing 
the names, Dr. Getman, D. W. Harrington, Eugene 
Hinds, Menzo Clapsaddle, H. A. Ward. 

PRIZE FARM IN 1820. 

About the year 1820, a prize was offered in Otsego 
county for the best farm within its precincts. After 
the inspectors, appointed for the purpose, had visited 
Captain Willard Eddy's carefully tilled fields near 
Monticello, had examined his orderly fences and stone- 
walls, and had tasted the fruits from his well cultivated 
orchards of apple, pear, and peach, (for peaches at that 
early day grew in abundance and perfection in Rich- 
field,) they awarded him a certificate attesting to the 
fact that his was the best all-round farm in the county. 
In addition to this, a prize in money was given. Eddy 
farmed as he fought in the Revolution — well. 



52 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

INDIANS. 

The region around Canadarago Lake was the home 
of the Oneidas before its settlement by the whites. Sir 
WilUam Johnson, in a report to the Crown in 1763, 
states " that the Oneidas consist of emigrants in the 
region of the headwaters of the Susquehanna, besides 
the two principal villages," near the sacred stone. The 
cutting down of a small tract of primeval forest famil- 
iarly known as the First Lake Woods, on the road 
from Richfield Springs to the lake, removes a beautiful 
landmark, to the great regret of those who know the 
spot and its associations. Near the close of the last 
century, there came from the Connecticut valley, two 
Mohegan Indians, Captain John and his son, Sam 
Brushell, or the Panther. They built a wigwam on 
the high ground at the head of the lake, not far from 
the mouth of the Otskonoga, and a short distance from 
the ice-houses. Here they lived several years. The 
elder was drowned in the lake. Soon afterward the 
Panther brought a squaw from Connecticut, and erected 
a log hut in the woods lately felled. In this rude 
cabin, under the singing pines and hemlocks, the 
Panther and his squaw, Polly, lived many years, keep- 
ing house in the true aboriginal fashion, Polly doing 
the drudgery, and the Panther hunting and fishing. 
At different points around the lake are places that de- 
note permanent Indian camps, and from these many 
flint arrow-heads have been taken. The Panther could 
tell at a glance what tribe had made them, tho' to a 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 53 

white man there was nothing to show any difference. 
The Panther was extremely proud of the turtle totem 
tattooed upon his breast, for it was a mark of the high- 
est caste of aboriginal nobility. About 1846, Sam and 
Polly made one of their periodical trips to their native 
scenes, and were never seen here again. Indian .John 
was buried on a knoll opposite the Lake House. Bailey, 
in his Richfield Springs, says that the body was " after- 
ward removed by students of Dr. J. L. JPalmer, which fact 
becoming suspected by the Indians living in Oneida, a 
large delegation made its appearance at the lake and 
prepared to open the grave of Captain John. At this 
moment Mr. Freedom Chamberlin appeared on the 
ground and forbade any interference with the grave, 
as it was located on his land. He w^ell knew that had 
the Indians become certain that the body had been re- 
moved, their threats toward Dr. Palmer would certain- 
ly have been carried out." 

The Panther had strong ideas as to the respect that 
should be shown to his property. Upon one occasion 
George Williams and Fred Morley, boys of that day, 
took his boat without permission, for a trip to the island. 
The Panther followed them in another boat and caught 
them on the shore of the island. He took from them 
their pocket knives and all other valuables ; and after 
beating them mercilessly with a paddle, he took both 
boats away, leaving the boys to get away as best as 
they could. On another occassion, Olcott Chamberlin 
took his boat to use in "jack-light" spearing. AVhile 



54 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

thus engaged he heard the order " Come shore ; my 
boat ;" from a nearby bank. Mr. C. paid no attention 
but kept on with his search for fish. In another in- 
stant a rifle shot was heard, and the pine knots in the 
"jack" were scattered by the ball. The boat was im- 
mediately returned. 

INDIAN TRAIL. 

The old Indian trail from the Mohawk to the Una- 
dilla country led up thro' Columbia, and passed to the 
south, a short distance to the west of Richfield Springs. 
Over this trail Gen. Nicholas Herkimer passed with his 
detachment of troops in June, 1777, on his way to hold 
an interview with the Indian chieftain. Brant, or Thay- 
endanegea. Over this trail, too, passed the patriot scouts 
Herkimer, Helmer, Schuyler and Smith, from the Mo- 
hawk forts, to and from the Indian country. 

AN INDIAN FIGHT. 

An Indian fight occurred during the Revolution, at 
the brook that falls into the lake at the Lake House. 
A party of whites coming from the south was met and 
checked at this point. The two parties spent the rest 
of the day exchanging shots without definite results. 
After night-fall, the whites discovered by a camp fire 
on Oak Ridge, that the Indians had retreated around 
the head of the lake. Fearing that the redskins would 
attack them from the rear, the whites went back as far 
as the east bank of Oaks creek. Their suspicions were 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 66 

well founded, for after waiting in ambush a short time, 
the Indians came and attempted to cross the stream. A 
volley from the whites killed two, and wounded several 
others of the savages. 

BATHING HOUSES. 

Soon after 1820, Dr. Horace Manley built the first 
bath house near the spring on Main street, and near 
Gary Cottage. Mr. Whitney built a more extensive 
one near where the east end of the Spring House was. 
During a severe wind storm the roof was blown across 
the street and over the house where the Berkeley stands. 
The present handsome and complete establishment was 
erected in 1890. 

CANADARAGO RACE COURSE. 

The road around the sides of Canadarago Hill, now 
a grass grown way, was Richfield's first race course. 

It was made by Bryan and Smith in 1867. A large 
building with two floors was erected upon the summit 
of the hill, to enable people to watch the progress of 
the races. This was demolished many years ago. 



Rich 



FIELD bPRINGS. 



After the opening of the 3rd Great Western Turn 
pike thro' the site of the village in 1808, people began 
to settle here, and commenced those pioneer operations 
which have resulted in Richfield Springs, the beauti- 
ful. A part of its history is that of the town, and is 
elsewhere told. It is believed that the first house in 
this village was built of logs, and stood on the east 
side of Canadarago Hill. This was the home of Franz 
Freba, who purchased land of the original grantee in 
1771. After 1802, Nathan Dow built a house near the 
spring at the east end of James street. The oldest 
house in the village is standing on the northeast corner 
of James and Center streets, tho' it originally stood on 
the north side of Main street near the bridge over 
Ocquionis creek. 

The oldest streets are a part of Elm, Main street 
west of it, and Main's branches, Herkimer and Monti- 
cello. These were opened as soon as the town was 
settled. The rest of Main was opened as the 3rd 
Great Western Turnpike, in 1808. Church street was 
laid out in 1821, and was called the Warren Road for 
many years. Lake street was opened after a strong 
fight from those whom it most benefited, in 1842. It 
was called the Lake Road for a number of years. The 
Patchen Road, from Lake street to the Old Butternut 
Road, was given by Hubbel Patchen in 1844. After 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 57 

incorporation, in 1861, Clark Burgess was made the 
first street commissioner, and the streets were then for 
the first time uniformly graded. Mr. B. says that 
nearly every owner had " wharfed out in front of his 
house so that the middle of the street was the lowest." 
And he further says that he met with great opposition 
when he made gutters on each side of the streets ; and 
that if he had received even a small share of the 
threatened scaldings and shootings of that day, he 
would not now be able to speak of it. 

INCORPORATION. 

The village was incorporated March 30, 1861, under 
its present name, which it had borne since 1842. Be- 
fore that time its official titles had been East Richfield 
and Canadarago. An old gazetteer gives the name 
Canadarago Springs. The first village election was 
held in Stanton Hall, now the Brunswick, May 21, 
186 1, and resulted in the choice of the following 
named : James C. Armstrong, president ; J. M. Der- 
thick, Clark Huestis, Robert Buchanan, Lot H. Hos- 
ford, trustees; H. C. Walter, treasurer; M. K. Hosford, 
police justice ; J. Hyde, clerk. The charter has been 
amended several times. A proposition to place the 
village under the General Village Act was defeated in 
1897. At the time of incorporation there were 400 
inhabitants in the place, and the size and appearance 
of the village may be imagined from the following 
showing : Main street had 4 hotels, 2 saloons with 



58 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

halls, 2 bathing houses, 7 stores, 4 shops, 26 dwellings, 

3 living apartments. Church street, 2 churches, 2 
shops, 1 dental office, 18 dwellings. Lake street, one 
photograph gallery, 1 church, 1 school house, 1 store, 
1 shop, 12 dwellings, 1 living apartment. James street, 
1 shop, 10 dwellings. Center, 1 dwelling. Gould ave., 

4 dwellings. Dow, 1 dwelling. Elm, 4 dwellings. 
Herkimer, 5 dwellings. Monticello, 5 dwellings. 

Now the streets contain these : Main, 5 hotels, 2 
churches, 4 boarding houses, 1 photo, parlor, 2 electric 
light plants, 22 stores, 1 market, 1 bank, 1 cap factory, 
1 bath-house, 42 dwellings, 9 living apartments. 
Church, 2 churches, 34 dwellings. Lake, 3 hotels, 6 
stores, 1 R. R. station and coal yard, 1 knitting mill, 
1 printing office, 1 photo, parlor, 1 market, 1 laundry, 
4 shops, 1 bottling establishment, 24 dwellings, 2 apart- 
ments. Langdon, 1 woodworking mill and lumber 
yard, 4 dwellings. Bronner, 2 store houses, 1 school 
building, 7 dwellings. Dow, 2 dwellings. William, 
8 dwellings. Warren, 4 dwellings. Gould Ave., 3 dwell- 
ings. Sylvan, 14 dwellings, 1 shop. Ann, 2 dwellings. 
Center, 1 printing office, 1 glove factory, 2 markets, 
1 store, 8 dwellings, 1 greenhouse. James, 1 laun- 
dry, 1 calaboose, 1 hose house, 1 electric light 
plant, 32 dwellings, 1 shop. Hotel, 4 dwellings, 
1 shop. Park, 8 dwellings. Manley, 1 hotel, 
3 dwellings. Johnson, 16 houses. Prospect, 7 
dwellings. Elm, 21 dwellings. Walnut, 12 dwell- 
ings. Herkimer, 9 dwellings. Monticello, 18 dwellings. 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 59 

River, 17 dwellings, 1 shop. Division, 10 dwellings. 
Canadarago, 1 church, 24 dwellings. Lake View Ave., 
3 dwellings. Union, 5 dwellings. High, 3 dwellings. 
South, 2 dwellings. 

THE FIRST BRICK YARD. 

The first brick yard was on the low land south of 
the electric light plant, across Ocquionis creek, and was 
first used about 1820. Later, about 55 years ago, a 
brick yard was established just north of the D.L. & W. 
switch-yards. Here were burned the brick for the first 
brick houses in the village, the old parts of the Gary 
Cottage and the Tuller House. 

THE SULPHUR SPRING. 

Dr. Horace Manley bought the land surrounding 
the spring in 1820, and prepared it for use. The next 
year the first summer boarders came and staid at the 
Richfield Hotel, paying $1.25 per week. To those who 
have spent the season at the later hotels, comment on 
price is superfluous. 

FIRE DEPARTMENT. 

During the winter of 1850, the American and the 
National were burned, and several attempts were made 
to burn the Richfield Hotel. In the summer following 
money was raised by subscription, and Utica's hand 
fire engine, No. 2, was purchased. A fire company 
of about 30 members was formed, of whom the chief 
was Davis Brown. The members were : Alonzo Phil- 



60 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

lips, Wm. Griffith, John and Geo. Higginbotham, 
Stephen Townsend, Hamilton Wood, Geo. Doolittle, 
Edward Osborne, Henry Balch, Edward Caney, Thos. 
Caney, R. G. Adsitt, Lot Hosford, Moses Wheeler, Al- 
mon Cole, Justin Hull, Wm. Holt, James Whitwell, 
Harvey Layton, Thos. Strickland, Hamilton Bailey, 
Edward Cheeseman, Philip and Levi Runyan, Solo- 
mon Piper. 

These, clad in red jackets belted at the waist with a 
black girdle, made a brave show on parade. The first 
fire the company attended was during the first winter 
of its existence, at the burning of a hotel at Brighton. 
The arrival of the old tub was too late for service, but 
the boys sucked dry a well or two, and had a good 
time before starting for home. Tiie machine was 
kept at different places for a number of years, and 
finally stood for a long time on the west side of Center 
street, near James. Here the village youngsters played 
firemen with it for a number of summers. At last 
"Colonel" Caple dismantled it and sold the brass and 
copper fittings. The long copper nozzle is in possession 
of Canadarago Hose Co., by which it is highly ])rized. 
It is much to be regretted that the old machine was 
not preserved. 

On August 27, 1879, Richfield Hose Company No. 
1, was organized, and the following officers were 
elected : President, H. A. Ward ; vice president, J. E. 
Ackerman ; recording secretary, R. J. Lynch ; finan- 
cial secretary, W. P. Borland ; foreman, Henry Green- 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 61 

man ; assistant foreman, F. B. Keller ; treasurer, W. 
A. Smith. The other members were : C. B. Wilder, 
C. iM. Goodale, E. E. Young, C. C. Ransom, 0. A. 
Chamberlin, E. B. Weatherbee, C. E. Goodale, C. E. 
Cromley, Hugh Freeman, C. J. Hinds, \V. D. Locke, 
W. G. Buchanan, Emory Lockwood, W. D. Sloan, G. 
C. Whipple, F. E. Keeler, W. M. McCredy, F. H. 
Keller, J. Leary, A. D. Getman, Wick McCredy. 

At a later date Canadarago Hose Co. No. 2, was or- 
ganized with these officers and members : President, 
M. Tuller ; vice president, M. D. Barrus ; recording 
secretary, H. D. Luce ; financial secretary, A. H. El- 
wood ; foreman, A. C. Tennant ; assistant foreman, 
Olcott McCredy ; treasurer, H, C. Watson. C. H. 
Whipple, F. B. Ramsdale, Jas. Lent, Jno. Moore, Jr., 
Jas. Steele, P. D. Fay, S. F. Cole, F. B. Getchell, Jno. 
Hall, Wm. Conklin, W. E. Cole, W. H. Chapman, 
Jno. Moore, C. W. Borden, W. B. Grain, G. H. Bron- 
ner, Jno. Stoner, B. A. Lockwood, Scott Lay ton, H. M. 
De Long, Geo. VanHorn, E. A. Hammond, L. P. Sea- 
ton, D. G. Harris, Thomas Weldon, C. D. Getchell. 
Both hose companies were accepted by the board of 
trustees Nov. 17, 1879. No. 2 was incorporated March 
17, 1880. 

Richfield Springs Hook and Ladder Company was 
organized Jan. 10, 1880, and incorporated Jan. 20, 
1880. The first officers and members were : Presi- 
dent, Jas. S. Davenport ; vice president, S. P. Barker ; 
secretary, H. E. Flewellen ; treasurer, Ephraim Shirael; 



62 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

foreman, L. Edwards ; assistant foreman, Alonzo Get- 
man ; steward, Sylvester Shimel. G. H. Johnson, 
Damon De Long, Rich'd Weldon, A. Lathrop, L. M. 
Doubleday, Luzerne Wheeler, Harry Williams, J. H. 
Sitts. The company was accepted Jan, 31, 1880. 

The organization of a fire department was provided 
for by a resolution adopted by the village board Nov. 
1, 1879, appointing the fourth Tuesday in November 
of each year, betw^een the hours of 7 and 9 p. m., for 
the election of its officers. The first elected were : 
Chief engineer, Rev. S. R. Ward ; first assistant, P. D. 
Fay ; second assistant, D. G. Harris. 

The first fire to which the department was called out 
was on the night of April 19, 1880, at the burning of 
J. N. Hinds' barn. The fire was subdued. The eflS- 
ciency of the department has several times since been 
fully demonstrated. 

THE FIRST SIDEWALK. 

The first sidewalk was laid on the north side of Main 
street, from the Richfield Hotel to Church street, in 
the spring of 1825. James H. Gano proposed to a 
party of young men at the hotel, to lay the walk men- 
tioned, and told them that he would give the material 
if they would help in the work. He gave the timber, 
which was immediately felled, logged and drawn to 
the saw-mill. John Runyan sawed it at once ; and 
before night the walk was completed. The next day 
the walk was continued up Church street as far as the 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 63 

site of the Universalist church. There were no houses 
then on the south side of Main street. 

RAILROAD, TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE. 

The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western R. R. was 
completed to this village the first of June, 1870. The 
terminus was then three quarters of a mile west of the 
place, near the black bridge over the Otskonoga. The 
next July, passengers were landed at Lake street sta- 
tion. For the furtherance of the railroad enterprise, 
Richfield bonded itself for $100,000, this village as- 
suming $35,000. In order to get the terminus within 
the village limits, the corporation was bonded for an 
additional $30,000. The village was connected with 
the outside world by telegraph in January, 1862 ; and 
by telephone in 1883. 

PUBLICATIONS. 

The Richfield Springs Mercury was founded by 
Henry L. Brown, and the first number was issued July 
19, 1867, from an office that stood on the east side of 
Lake street, where the Johnson block stands. The 
first perfect copy is in possession of the writer, and was 
taken from the old hand press by E. A. Hinds. C. 
Ackerman bought the plant in October, 1868. W. T. 
Coggeshall took control in 1882, and sold out to F. E. 
Mungor in 1885. B. G. Seamans was taken as partner 



64 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

in 1887, remaining in the firm till 1895, when Mr. 
Mungor assumed entire control and ownership. 

In 1886 Frank G. Barry issued a summer-time 
weekly called the Richfield Springs News, and contin- 
ued its publication till the season of 1897, when it lost 
its individuality, being merged with the other News 
series, in the Summer Resorter. 

The Richfield Springs Daily was first issued in 1888 
from the Mercury office, and has every year since made 
its regular summer appearance. 

The Student, the High school organ, entered the 
journalistic field in Feb., 1888, and was, as now, 
printed by J. E. Ackerman. The editorial staff" was : 
Fred Bronner, H. H. Baker, August Kinne, Annie M. 
Storer, Edith Black, Flora Frink. 

In the summer of 1897, Richfield Life was brought 
out by Fred Grant Young and Purdon Robinson, and 
was published weekly during the season. 

In 1874 W. T. Bailey published his Richfield 
Springs and Vicinity, the first local history issued. 

WOODSIDE PARK. 

On the 12th of February, 1880, William Smith 
Brown gave to the village of Richfield Springs seven 
acres of land in the eastern part of the place, a part of 
which is a natural grove. The trustees named in the 
gift are Allen Bloomfield, N. Getman, and T. R. Proc- 
tor. The land was conveyed upon terms, of which 
follow abstracts : 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 66 

" No intoxicating drinks shall be permitted to be 
sold or brought upon the grounds. 

The use of bows and arrows, torpedoes, firecrackers, 
fireworks, any manner of fire-arms, air-gun, or any 
weapon or instrument which may be dangerous to the 
safety of visitors, or used to kill birds, shall be pro- 
hibited. 

No picnics, processions, religious or political meet- 
ings, or parades of any societies shall be permitted. 

All gambling and betting games shall be prohibited ; 
so too, base ball, cricket, and all games in which per- 
sonal injury to the participants or bystanders is liable 
to occur. 

The trustees shall cause to be posted in suitable and 
conspicuous places about the park, plainly printed no- 
tices in English, French, and German, forbidding all 
nuisances of every kind ; all cutting and plucking of 
trees, bushes, shrubs, plants, fruit and flowers ; all de- 
facing of seats, trees, or other objects in the park ; and 
such notices shall designate a place where complaints 
against offenders may be made." 

ELECTRIC LIGHTS. 

The first use of electricity as a lighting agent in 
town, was at the Republican State Convention, Sept. 
19, 1883, from a plant put in by the Remingtons, of 
Ilion. A good many years before, in 1878, PI. E. 
Walter, of this place, had succeeded in producing an 
electric light, but in a way too crude for adoption. 



66 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

The village was first lighted by electricity June 23, 
1888, tho' T. R. Proctor had illuminated his grounds 
and the street in front of them during several preced- 
ing summers. 

SOCIETIES AND ORGANIZATIONS, 

with dates of founding, first officers, etc. 

1845. Sons of Temperance, Canadarago Division, 
196. Lawrence Walter, W. P.; H. C. Walter, R. S. 

1859. Richfield Springs Lodge, F. & A. M., No. 
482. James Hyde, W. M.; Chas. DeLong, S. W.; 
Daniel Woodbury, J. W. 

1864. Lyceum Debating Society. Juvenile imita- 
tors were Adelphians and Ciceronians. 

1868. Richfield Springs Chapter, No. 222, R. A. 
M. S. R. Stewart, H. P.; W. B. Lidell, K.; L. M. 
Doubleday, S. 

1869. Good Templars, Lodge No. 889. R. W. 
Ackerman, Deputy. 

1871. Canadarago Base Ball Club. R. F. Caney, 
Captain. This club was succeeded by the Richfields 
and Compeers. For a number of years past a paid 
club has been supported. 

1877. Browning Daughters, a ladies' social and 
literary society, at the Seminary. 

1881. Richfield Springs Agricultural Society. N. 
R. Baker, president ; P. D. Fay, secretary ; James Ma- 
son, treasurer. 

1882. Weldon Post, G. A. R., No. 256. P. D. 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 67 

Fay, Com.; Herman House, S. V. C; Elias Young, J. 
V. C. 

1884. Richfield Springs Lodge, A. 0. U. W., No. 
308. M. D. Jewell, P. M. W.; Alfred Freeman, M. 
W.; C. B. Wilder, Rec. 

1885. Waiontha Bicycle Club. E. A. Hinds, pres. 
and captain ; H. A. Ward, secretary ; G. D. Caney, 
treasurer. 

1889. Boys' Club. 

1890. Canadarago Council, Royal Arcanum, No. 
1274. M. A. McKee, Regent; John Oyer, P. R.; V. 
A. Cameron, secretary. 

. Elias Young Camp., S. of V., No. 112. G. 

W. Hyde, captain ; William Kingsley, 1st Lt.; Ralph 
Barrus, 2nd Lt. 

1891. Richfield Springs Gun Club. F. E. Mungor, 
president ; A. Barker, vice president. 

1896. Richfield Monument Association ; S. P. Bar- 
ker, president; I. D. Peckham, vice president; M. D. 
Jewell, treasurer ; A. M. Freeman, clerk. 

BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS. 

1882. First National Bank. N. Getman, president; 
M. A. McKee, cashier. 

1889. Richfield Springs Scotch Cap Factory. 

1890. Waiontha Knitting Company. 
1893. Otsego Glove Company. 

1897. Waiontha Golf Club, and Waiontha Hunt 

Club. 

. Richfield Springs Racing Association. 



68 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

LEADING EVENTS. 

Curfew and other Bells. — After the erection of 
the Universalist church, in 1833, it was the custom to 
ring the bell at 9 o'clock in the evening. This prac- 
tice was continued many years. The bell was rung, 
also, at 6 a. m. and at noon. 

Waiontha Observatory. — In 1873 the citizens of 
Richfield Springs raised money by subscription, and 
built an observatory upon the top of Mt. Waiontha. 
It was blown down in a severe gale July 23, 1884. 

The Old Indian Mound on the Hopkinson farm 
west of this village, which members of the Oneida 
tribe were said to have visited annually, was opened to 
a considerable depth in the autumn of 1875, but noth- 
ing of note was found. 

The Waterworks were completed in 1879, at an 
original cost of $22,000. 

Oscar Wilde lectured in the Spring House Aug. 
14, 1882. 

The Courtney-Lee boat-race occurred Sept. 1, 1882, 
on Canadarago Lake, Courtney winning. 

Hops sold in the fall and winter of 1882 for $1.25 a 
pound. The following summer the price was 25 cents. 

Republican State Convention was held here Sept. 
19, 1883, in a wigwam built for the purpose by W. B. 
Ward, on the Spring House grounds, partially on the 
site of the Bathing establishment. 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 69 

A Sculling Regatta was held in August, 1884, on 
Canadarago Lake, participated in by Messrs. Ross, 
Riley, Plaisted, Lee, and Gaisel. Ross was the winner. 

The Sewers were laid down in the summer of 1885. 

The first Heating Furnace was placed in 1870, 
by E. A. Hinds, in his store in Weeks block. 

The first Hot Water heating systems in town were 
put in by G. T. Brockway, in Monticello, and M. Tul- 
ler & Son, in Richfield Springs, in 1898. 

The Roller Skating Mania struck this village in 
1884, and a rink was built by Callahan & Co. on the 
Gary Cottage grounds, next to the Spring House park. 
Since the craze died out, the building has been used 
for summer theatricals and a cyclery. 

HOTELS. 

The Richfield Hotel is the oldest in the village. The 
main portion was erected in 1816, but a part of the 
wing was built before 1810 by a man named Graves, a 
blacksmith who had the first shop in the village. 
Nathan Dow, one of the immortal band that was with 
Ethan Allen at Ticonderoga, built the main part, and 
to it was annexed the older building. Robert Bene- 
dict, a son-in-law, was the first proprietor. Subsequent 
ones were : Jesse Burgess, Wm. H. Lewis, John Cul- 
bert, Moses Jaques, Moses Wheeler, Chas. Davy, Clark 
Huestis, Sandusky Keller. Starr S. Keller is tlie pres- 
ent proprietor. To this house came the first summer 



10 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

guests, about 25 in number, in 1821. The price per 
week was $1.25. 

Page's Tavern was erected in 1823 by The- 
odore Page and Samuel Chase, and was origi- 
nally 40 by 30 feet, and two stories high. 
It stood on the corner of the 3rd Great Western 
Turnpike and Warren Road, now Main and Church 
streets. Subsequent proprietors were : CM. Paul, 
Mr. Gary, and Major Wm. H. Lewis. About 1840 
Joshua Whitney became the proprietor, when its name 
was changed to 

Spring House. Mr. Whitney made additions, as 
did his successors, Messrs. Van Horn & Backus, and 
Messrs. Bryan & Ransom, till the house would accom- 
modate 450 guests. Mr. Ransom died in 1872. The 
jfinancial panic of 1873 came on, and the hotel busi- 
ness in the village was next to nothing. The house 
was closed during the season of 1874. In 1875, Thos. 
R. Proctor purchased the house and grounds at public 
auction, and immediately demonstrated that he was 
one of the kind of hotel men the place needed. From 
a complete failure he drew success, placing the Spring 
House in the front rank of American outing-place 
hotels. In 1890 the new Bathing establishment was 
erected, presenting to the public all that is the latest 
and best in hydro-therapy and its accompaniments. 
On the morning of July 25, 1897, the Spring House 
was totally consumed by fire. 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 71 

The American Hotel was built by C. M. Paul, in 
1830. Wm. P. Johnson became its proprietor and 
owner nine years later. In 1850 the American was 
burned. The new hotel erected immediately was 
much larger, and was a most popular house. Later 
enlargements gave this hostelry a capacity of 450 peo- 
ple. Other proprietors were George Horton, Mess. Ga- 
ry, Tunnicliff & Blake, Mess. Bloomfield, Seeber and 
Tunnicliff. In 1881 Uriah Welch named the house the 

New American, and conducted its affairs a number 
of years. The present popular and energetic proprie- 
tors are Mess. E. M. Earle & Son, who have rechrist- 
ened the hotel, giving it the name 

Earlington. Under their skillful control the house 
has taken a position among the best in the land. 

Other Hotels are the Kendallwood, by George 
W. Tunnicliff; Gary Cottages, by J. D. Gary; Tuller 
House, by N. D. Jewell ; Gonkling Gottage, by Mrs. E. 
Conkling ; St. James, by E. M. Earle & Son ; The Elk, 
by Wm. Bellinger ; Tunnicliff Gottage, by Mrs. J. F. 
Getman and Miss G. E. Tunnicliff; The Brunswick, 
by Fred Stanton ; The National, by S. P. Barker ; Sun- 
nyside, by G. Golwell ; J. M. Derthick's cottage ; Dar- 
row House, by Geo. W. Greene ; Schuyler House, by 
Fred Feldmann ; The Delaware, by Joseph Knapp ; 
Tunnicliff Lawn, by Mrs. Fanny Harrington ; Ed- 
Wards Gottage, by L. Edwards. 



72 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

EARLY PRANKS. 

During the days remembered by men now living, 
there was a number of memorable practical jokes 
played in this village. A few are given to show the 
humor of the time. About the year 1854, Joshua 
Whitney, owner of the Spring House, in making some 
changes about the grove, as the park was then called, 
dug up a big maple stump, which he dumped in a low 
place where now stands the Johnson block. The next 
morning it adorned the Spring House porch. Mr. 
Whitney took it to the swamp near the Lake House ; 
it was his again the next morning. It was then taken 
to Pray Hill, and duly returned in the night. Next 
it was sent to Cat Town, 10 miles away, and pitched 
over a steep bank into a mill-pond. A week or two 
afterward it was back in its old place on the veranda. 
Then Mr. Whitney had it cut to pieces and burned. 

At another time, the village butcher and meat ped- 
dler had stocked his wagon with meat for the next 
day's trip, and had laid him down to pleasant dreams 
of the Emerald Isle. Betimes, he was up and ready 
to start ; but there was no wagon, no meat. While 
yet he slept, the jokers had come and taken the wagon 
away, and had lelt the meat in generous chunks in 
places throughout the village, where it was thought it 
would do the most good. The vehicle was taken apart 
and was setup again on aflat-roofed building that stood 
where Tunnicliff Cottage lawn is. The victim pro- 
cured a ladder, and while upon the roof making prep- 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 73 

arations for getting his property down, someone took 
the ladder away. 

When Samuel Gordon lived where Mrs. W. E. Dar- 
row lives now, the land east of his house was a meadow 
owned by Daniel Dow. Mr. Dow had cut a quantity 
of hay, and had cocked it for the night. The next 
morning no hay was to be seen. By following indica- 
tions, however, the owner found it snugly mowed away 
in Mr. Gordon's barn. The industrious wags had been 
there. But Mr. Dow did not know it ; and he spoke 
to Mr. Gordon about the changed location of his hay. 
Of course, some of the night workers took pains to be 
near when the gentlemen met ; and they reported a 
very spirited and interesting conversation. 

There were many others ; but these will suffice to 
show that the spirit of fun was in the people of those 
days. 

SOLDIERS' AND SAILORS' MONUMENT. 

In 1896, Richfield raised money to buy the plot of 
ground known as Monument Park, in order to have a 
place whereon to erect a monument to Richfield's vol- 
unteers, promised by T. R. Proctor. July 5, 1897, the 
monument was dedicated, presented and accepted with 
pomp, ceremony and circumstance. The following 
copy of the day's program will give an idea of the ex- 
ercises : " Grand parade. Marshal, Dr. W. P. Bor- 
land. Aides, Maj. D. T. Evarts, P. Bradlee Strong, 
W. P. Earle, John Wahl, Louis Agostini, C. M. Tul- 



74 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

ler, Clarence Levin, J. Lee Tailer, Geo. Van Dewater, 
Frank Croker. Carriages containing speakers, board 
of trustees, clergy and representatives of the press. 
Richfield Springs Citizens' Band, Third Separate 
Company, N. G. S. N. Y., Capt. Walter Scott. Post 
Weldon and visiting veterans from Utica, Waterville, 
West Winfield, Van Hornsville, Cooperstown and Hart- 
wick, A. W. Dennison, Marshal. Richfield Springs 
Fire Department, M. D. Jewell, Chief Order of exer- 
cises at the monument : Presiding officer, Mayor Wm. 
L. Strong. Overture. Prayer, Rev. S. R. Ward. 
America. Presentation of monument, Thomas R. 
Proctor. Acceptance in behalf of town, Hon. L. S. 
Henry. Remarks, Col. Albert D. Shaw, G. C, N. Y. 
S. G. A. R. Introduction of speaker, Gen. Daniel 
Butterfield. Address, Gen. James R. O'Beirne. Star 
Spangled Banner. Benediction, Rev. Geo. Reynolds. 
Exhibition drill at Woodside Park, at 4:30 o'clock. 
Music, band. Battalion parade, Third Separate Com- 
pany. Exhibition drill, Hook and Ladder Company. 
Skirmish drill. Third Separate Company." 

INDIAN NAMES. 

It is to be regretted that the Indian names of all the 
streams and lakes in this vicinity have not been 
handed down to us. Happily, the name of our own 
beautiful Canadarago has been preserved, as well as 
those of Otsego, and the Waiontha lakes. The name 
of the creek flowing thro' this village from the north, 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 76 

was known as Ocquionis by the aborigines ; and what 
is commonly called Mink, or Braman's creek, was 
called by the Indians, Otskonoga. The Unadilla has 
headwaters in this town, and has retained one of its 
old names. On old maps and documents it was vari- 
ously written, Teyonadelhough, Tienaderha, Tunadilla, 
and Unadilla. The Adiga, another nearby stream, 
has lost its real name and is now Wharton. The 
Rockdunga, a tributary to the last named, has almost 
lost its native appellation. Diligent search has not 
brought to light the original word by which Oaks 
creek was known. It is deplorable that the aboriginal 
names in Otsego county have not been given to the 
village streets. Canadarago street is the only one thus 
named. How eminently proper it would seem, to 
unite Church and Lake streets under the one name, 
Canadarago ; to give Main, (that abomination among 
street names) the word, Otsego ; to call River street, 
Ocquionis ; and to bestow Waiontha, Unadilla, Otsko- 
noga, Adiga, Susquehanna, Schenevas, and the rest, 
upon other streets. 

SUMMER HOMES. 

Richfield's healthfulness, and popularity as a sum- 
mering place, have induced a number of city people 
to make it their point of villegiature. The number 
would be a much larger one, had it not been for ex- 
cessive, unreasonable prices asked for lands at eligible 
points near the village. 



^6 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

Applecot is the pleasant home of Mrs. C. M. Roff, 
of Toledo, Ohio. This unique cottage is situated on 
East Main street, and is the scene, in summer, of much 
social gayety. 

Bella Vista, properly named, is the summer resi- 
dence of R. F. Westcott and family, of Orange, N. J. 
It is one of the most pretentious of the Richfield sum- 
mer homes. 

The Berkeley, home of Messrs. R. W. Tailer, and J. 
Lee Tailer and their families of New York, is a cool 
and commodious ixiansion on Main street. Here in the 
season, are made up the many plans for pleasure in 
the Waiontha Hunt Club. 

Clayton Lodge, built by the late Cyrus H. McCor- 
mick, of Chicago, stands on a portion of Sunset Hill, 
and commands a glorious view of the Canadarago 
valley, 

Hal-Fawn is the season's home of Mrs. Geo. Taylor 
and family, and is about a mile from the Springs in a 
very picturesque spot on the Butternut Road. 

St. John Manor, the outing-home of W. Dewees 
Wood, of Pittsburg, stands on a breezy hill on the old 
Butternut Road, about a mile east of the village. An 
unsurpassed view of the lake and surrounding hills, is 
one of the charms of the situation. 

The Towers, on James street, is the summering place 
of Lewis B. Caney, of New York. It stands on a 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 77 

broad lawn and is an attractive and picturesque edifice. 

Cottages to Rent. — The following is a list of cot- 
tages that are almost every season occupied by city 
families who prefer the home life to be had therein, to 
the whirl of life at the hotels ; they are all newly built, 
and thoroly up to date in their fittings and furnish- 
ings : Cushman's, Darrow's, Hannahs', Hendrix's, 
Hinds', Ingleside, Kinne's, Manley's, McCredy's, 
Palmer's, Seeber's, Standfield Villa, St. John's, Tarrya- 
while, Tuttles', Walters', Ward's, Whipple's, Wilder's. 

Apartments are The Gladstone, The Waiontha, 
First National Bank Building. 

CuLLENWooD. — One of the most interesting country 
seats in this region is Cullenwood, the home of Hon. 
D. Jones Grain and family, at Gullen. The old hall, 
left in its original plans, was built in 1805, and was 
the home of the Hon. Wm. Cullen Grain, distinguished 
in his day as a statesman, and well known for his ele- 
gant and courtly manners. Cullenwood has been 
famed for its hospitality, and has been the scene of 
many a brilliant function. Mrs. Grain has recently 
built an Episcopal church opposite Cullenwood ; The 
Good Shepherd. 

Henderson Home is a point of interest not far from 
Richfield ; and a visit to the quaint place erected in 
1836, will well repay the sight-seer. 

Otsego Observatory, six miles from Richfield, 
stands on the top of Mt. Otsego, whence can be had 



18 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

beautiful and extensive views. The trip thither is a 
delightful one. 

SUMMER THEATER. 

After the end of the roller skating craze, the rink 
was transformed into a place for summer theatricals. 
Every season first-class companies appear here, and nu- 
merous entertainments are given by local and visiting 
talent. The building is also used as a bicycle academy 
by the energetic proprietor, H. H. Tuller. 

CITIZENS' BRASS BAND. 

This musical organization was efiected in 1895. 
Previous brass bands were organized in 1879, in 1876, 
and in 1866. Many years ago a band was organized 
which had eight clarionets in its make-up. 

PROFESSIONAL AND BUSINESS PEOPLE 
IN Richfield Springs. 

Apothecaries. — Borland & Bush, W. A. Smith, 

Attorneys. — S. S. Edick, L. S. Henry, J. De V. Reed. 

Bakers. — C. E. Goodale, N. Weldon. 

Barbers. — Wm. Hersey, Geo. E. Johnson, , Chris. 
Nadley, J. M. SchaefFer. 

Blacksmiths. — Jos. Herkimer, R. Purcell, Walter 
Snedeker, John Switzer. 

Books and Stationery, W. H. Blauvelt. 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 79 

Boots and Shoes. — Fox Sisters, Hinds, Caney & 
Kibby, Kinne & Son. 

Bottler, John E. Feldmann. 

Carpenters. — Geo. Backus, Chas. Brooks, Chas. 
Brunkhurst, S. Clemmons, J. B. Cushman, H. Davis, 
M. Drake, Henry Freeman, B. A. Lockwood, Emory 
Lockwood, Chas. ScramHng, Lee Sternberg, Geo. Van 
Horn, John Walrath, Richard Weldon, Marvin 
Wheeler, E. B. Wilcox, John Williams. 

Carting and Baggage Express, Wm. Conkling. 

Clothiers and Furnishing Goods, Wilder & Conrad. 

Coal yard, J. D. Ibbotson. 

Dentists. — S. J. Downs, M. D. Jewell. 

Dressmakers. — Misses Burke, Comstock, Nellis ; 
Mesdames L. Barker, Ella Crosby, G. E. Johnson, J. 
Lawrence. 

Department Store, M. Tuller & Son. 

Dry Goods. — Hinds, Caney and Kibby, W. Furmin. 

Express, Jas. A. Storer, Agt. U. S. Express Co. 

Florist, L. P. Seaton. 

Furniture, F. R. Martin. 

Groceries. — Jas. Cole, Michael Finukin, Edwin Fur- 
min, C. E. Goodale, A. M. Westfall. 

Hardware and Plumbing. — R. Buchanan & Co., I. 
D. Peckham. 

Harness, Trunks, etc. — D. A, Bierman, W. M. Mc- 
Credy. 

Hops.— T. F. Pier & Son, B. F. Whipple. 

Ice. — Don Joslin, Albert Schooley. 



80 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

Insurance. — C. Ackerman, A. M. Freeman, M. Tul- 
ler, C. W. Tunnicliff. 

Jewelers. — C. E. Caney, Henry Greenman, M. A. 
Walter. 

Liveries. — H. M. DeLong, L. Edwards & Son, Geo. 
W. Greene, F. H. Keller, L. J. Luce. 

Masons. — John Bolton, Chas. Bond, H. M. Fort, 
John Keough, S. McHail, Justin Osterhout. 

Meat Markets. — John Finukin, Tefft Bros., Vroo 
man Bros. 

Millinery and Fancy Goods. — Mrs. L. Barker, Mrs. 
F. Bennett, Gary Sisters, Walter Furmin, Storer Sisters. 

Music Teachers. — Geo. Franklin, Florence Palmer. 

Painters. — Oscar Bond, Jas. Casler, Geo. Clarke, 
Wm. Cole, Ralph Hewes, Geo. Johnson, Jas. Mullen, 
P. A. Rapp, Erwin Sauer, A. W. Wheeler, Henry 
Wolcott, Charles Whitham. 

Photographers. — V. A. Cameron, Geo. Franklin, H. 
E. Guiwits. 

Physicians in practice. — W. B. Crain, N. Getman, 
H. A. Ward, H. G. Willse. 

Printers. — J, E. Ackerman, F. E. Mungor. 

Real Estate — C. Ackerman, A. M, Freeman. 

Restaurants — N. Weldon, George A. Sitts. 

Sign and Carriage Painters — 0. D. Getman, G. P. 
Smith. 

Surveyors. — E. W. Badger, James McKee, H. H. 
Tuller. 

Tailors.— H. G. Beltz, R. J. Bringloe, C. B. Wilder. 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 81 

Telegrapher, Jas. A. Storer, Manager W. U. T. Co. 
Telephonist, Blanche House. 
Undertaker, D. W. Harrington. 
Veterinary Surgeon, C. M. Goodale. 

Wagon Makers.— Theodore Elwood, H. J. Freuden- 
berg. 

Wood working Mill, Lumber and Feed, W. B. 
Ward. 

MoNTicELLO Business People. — Blacksmith, H. V. 
Waterman. 

Carpenters.— John F. Locke, Chas. Sitts. 

Cheese Manufacturer, H. C. Brockway. 

Dressmakers.— Mrs. J. F. Locke, Mrs. Anna Sitts. 

Hotel, Orville Jacobson. 

Merchants. — Geo. T. Brockway, L. C. Locke. 

Miller, 0. W. Bennett. 

Milliner, Mrs. John Colwell. 

Painters, G. W. and L. M. Firman. 

Physician, S. A. Haggerty. 

Wagonmaker, John Colwell. 

ANECDOTES OF FITCH CAPLE. 

When Moses Wheeler kept the Richfield Hotel, he had 
an old style hotel sign-post planted on the opposite side 
of the street. "Colonel" Fitch Caple was an eccentric 
character of that time, violent in temper, and of des- 
perate disposition when in his frequent cups. Upon 
one occasion he applied for a drink of whisky and was 



83 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

refused, upon the ground that he already had enough. 
The refusal angered Caple, who said if whisky was not 
to be sold, the proprietor ought to take down his sign. 
A short time afterward the "Colonel" appeared at the 
sign-post with an ax and a gun, and proceeded to chop 
it down. Several attempts were made to stop his 
work, but each time Caple took up his gun, and swore 
to kill any one that came near ; and he kept at work 
till the post was laid low. 

At another time, Caple had made his home with a 
family to whom his constancy in attendance upon 
meals, and his rare and partial settlements had become 
burdensome. One day he brought in a bag of flour, 
and called for his dinner. The good woman told him 
he could have no more meals, and that she did not 
want the flour, " Oh, yes, you do," said Caple, and 
seizing the bag he began to whirl around and to throw 
the flour about the room and all over the poor woman 
and her weeping half dozen. The condition of the 
room and the appearance of the tearful youngsters 
may be easily imagined. 

ANDRUSTOWN. 

About fifty years before the Revolution, a settlement 
was begun by several families from the German Flatts, 
at the site of Andrustown. It was at first called Hen- 
dersons', as it was on the Dr. Henderson grant of 
26,000 acres ; later it was corrupted into Andreastown 
and Andrustown. The settlers, as far as can be 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 83 

learned, were Frederick Bell, Fred'k Bell, Jr., Fred- 
erick Hawyer, John Osterhoudt, Jacob Wollaber, Fred- 
erick Lepper, Adam Stauring, Paul Crim, the Franks, 
and one Bowers. When the Revolutionary war began, 
there was comfort and plenty on the farms that had been 
won by much toil f^om the forests. The people took 
the side of colonial liberty and were consequently 
marked for destruction by the Royalist party. In 1777 
the settlers took refuge in Fort Herkimer. In 1778 
the men put in some crops on their deserted farms ; 
and in July of that year, Bell, son and grandson, Stau- 
ring and son, Lepper and Hawyer, went up to their 
farms to cut hay. The wives of Hawyer, Stauring and 
Bell, Jr., accompanied them. On the 18th, a party of 
Indians and tories led by Brant suddenly appeared. 
Both Bells and the Stauring boy were killed and scalped, 
and the Bell boy was made prisoner. By orders from 
Brant the women were spared. All the buildings were 
burned before the attacking party left. Benton says 
that four men were killed and one died in a burning 
house. 

In 1756 a band of French and Indians made a de- 
scent upon the German Flatts settlements and killed 
fifteen, or more. Some of these were from Henderson's. 

Again in 1758, the devoted home-builders were driv- 
en from their farms and several were killed, by the 
French and their savage allies. One woman was 
scalped alive. 



84 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

LITTLE LAKES, WARREN P. 0. 

In 1752 Theobald Young and 10 others obtained a 
patent to 14,000 acres surrounding the Waiontha Lakes. 
Before the Revolution, Young, Colj^er and others had 
settled south of the lower lake. When the colonies re- 
belled, these men had flourishing farms ; and Young 
carried on an extensive barter trade. On the way to 
attack Andrustown, Brant and his party halted a 
while at Young's Settlement, as it was called, to prepare 
for the descent upon that place. Young and Colyer 
were pronounced tories and gave aid and directions to 
the Indian chief. After the massacre, the savages 
and tories retreated via Young's Settlement, thence to 
Oquago. As soon as the Americans at Fort Hetkimer 
learned of the afl'air at Andrustown, a party was sent 
out in pursuit of the Indians and went as far as the 
Little Lakes. Young and Colyer had fled, after bury- 
ing many household valuables, fearing the vengeance 
of the Americans. The buildings of Young and Col- 
yer were plundered and burned. A few years ago, 
Sanford Tunnicliff, who lives upon this historic spot, 
plowed up a number of the articles buried by the tories 
before their flight. 

After the war, Little Lakes became a place of prom- 
inence, and the location of a number of important in- 
dustries. Among these was clock -making, A clock 
now owned in Richfield Springs, was made here by 
Daniels and Carpenter, in 1795. 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 85 

SPRINGFIELD. 

The first settlers were John Kelly, Richard Fergu- 
son and James Young, who came from the north of 
Ireland in 1762, and settled at East Springfield ; and 
Gustavus Klumph and Jacob Tygart, Germans, near 
the head of Otsego Lake. Before the Revolution there 
was a little settlement east of Mud Lake. Brant's first 
movements in Springfield were in January, 1778. 
Some of the whites escaped and some were captured, 
but the women and small children were spared by 
Brant's orders. In June of this year, the women in the 
Sprague, Corey, and other families who lived near 
Mud Lake, started to go to Fort Plain, as they were 
alarmed about an Indian attack. The men were ab- 
sent in Cherry Valley. Taking the children, the in- 
trepid women entered the forest and passed the night. 
Early in the morning they were resuming their flight, 
when they espied the dreaded chieftain, Brant. By 
signs he motioned them back to cover, and indicated 
the w^ay to continue their escape. A Spallsburg fami- 
ly and Capt. Thomas Davy were also ante-Revolution 
residents. Davy was killed at Oriskany. Soon after 
the war Elisha Dodge, Col. Herrick and Aaron Bige- 
low from Conn., and Eli Parsons, Eliakim Sheldon, 
and Isaac White from Mass., located near the middle 
of the town. Garret Staats built the first sawmill and 
grist-mill near the lake, before the Revolution. In 
1778, Capt. Henry Eckler, living at the Kyle, had a 



86 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

visit from Brant, whose purpose was probably murder. 
As the chief entered one door, Eckler fled thro' anoth- 
er and sought cover in the forest. Brant called on him 
to stop, and fired on him when he saw his summons 
was not regarded. Eckler tripped and fell at the in- 
stant of discharge of the gun. He eventually escaped. 

POINTS OF HISTORICAL INTEREST 

Near Richfield. 

Cherry Valley, distant 14 miles, the oldest settled 
place in Otsego county, and the scene of the Indian 
and Tory massacre in 1778 ; Cooperstown, 14 miles, 
where Gen. James Clinton built a dam across the source 
of the Susquehanna in the Indian campaign of 1779, 
and where, in after years, lived the novelist Cooper, 
upon the shores of the Glimmerglass, amid the scenes 
of the Deerslayer and the Pioneers ; Herkimer, 14 
miles, the site of Fort Dayton ; and Fort Herkimer, 14 
miles, where was the fort of the same name. 

DRUSE MURDER. 

In the town of Warren, in December, 1884, occurred 
the celebrated Druse murder. Mrs. Wm. Druse shot 
her husband while at table, then killed him with an 
ax, afterward cutting the body in pieces and burning 
it in a stove. It was nearly three weeks after the event 
before it became known. The murderess was convicted 
and hanged in Herkimer. 



< 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 87 

REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS. 

Among the earl}^ settlers was a number of men whom 
the Spirit of 76 had impelled to fight in the battles for 
American Independence. As nearly as possible this is 
a correct list : Sisson Cole, John Densmore, Nathan 
Dow, Willard Eddy, Lemuel Fitch, Martin Griffin, Na- 
than Harrington, G. R. T. Hewes, Alpheus Loomis, 
Thaddeus Loomis, Robert Martin and his sons Isaac, 
John, Joseph, Nathan, Robert, Samuel and Stephen, 
Jonathan Morgan. 

The War of 1812 took from Richfield these : Ira 
Allen, Waterman Ames, Joseph Beardsley, Darius Ga- 
ry, Samuel Colwell, Wm. Deuel, Sanford Deuel, Aaron 
Dow, Calvin Eaton, Garrison Filkins, OKver Griffin, 

Hewes, Ivory Holland, Jeremiah Meacham, 

Joseph Norton. 

Mexican War, Nathan Harrington, 3rd. 

War with Spain, 1898, Edward Brady, Thomas M. 
Floyd Palmer, Frank Palmer, Elmer Watson. 

George Robert Twelve Hewes, one of the sons of a 
Welshman, was born in Boston, Mass., Sept. 5, 1731. 
He was one of that body of men, who disguised as In- 
dians on the night of the 16th of December, 1773, 
boarded the Dartmouth and two other British ships 
lying at Griffin's wharf, in Boston, and threw 342 
chests of tea into the sea. 

When Boston was invested by the British, he escaped 



88 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

and took service upon a Yankee privateer. Later, he 
joined the army and was stationed at West Point and 
Fishkill. The only military engagements he was in, 
were those skirmishes that took place upon the neutral 
ground of Westchester. After muster-out he became 
mate of a vessel in the West India trade. Early in 
the 19th century he removed to the region of Richfield 
Springs, where he followed farming and shoemaking. 
In 1825 he was taken to Boston to be an honored guest 
at the laying of the corner-stone of Bunker Hill mon- 
ument, June 17. He was then 94 years old. Upon 
his return he was given a purse of |500. This, with a 
pension, kept his declining years comfortable. His death 
occurred Nov. 6, 1840, in the town of Warren, and he 
was interred in the Church street burying ground. 
On the day previous to Memorial Day, 1896, his bones 
were exhumed in perfect condition. On Memorial Day 
they were re-interred in the Grand Army lot in Lake 
View Cemetery, by Commander T. I. Jaques and the 
officers and members of Post Weldon. The old head- 
stone was set up over the remains. The inscription 
upon it reads : " George R. T. Hewes, one who helped 
drown the tea, in Boston, 1770 [3], died Nov. 5, 1840, 
aged 109 years and 2 months." An oil painting of 
the old patriot hangs in Faneuil Hall. 

VARIOUS SPRINGS. 

Besides the Manley Spring, on the Spring House 
grounds, there are several other mineral springs in this 



ANNALfi OF RICHFIELD. 89 

vicinity, all more or less impregnated with sulphur. 
In the swamp at the head of the lake, is an island, in 
the middle of which is an immense sulphur spring. 
Its location is marked by two towering pines. There 
are others at the following named places : near Oak 
Ridge, on the west side of the lake ; near the railroad 
bridge on the west bank of Ocquionis creek ; at several 
places on the Weatherbee estate ; on the Earlington 
grounds ; two on the Gary Cottage property ; by the 
brook south of the Kendall wood ; on Dr. Grain's pro- 
perty on Ghurch street. Two or three rods east of the 
Manley Spring, at the head of the Bowling Green, is 
buried a spring, whose waters contain an acid that crys- 
tallized upon twigs, etc., before its obliteration. 

PETRIFIED BODIES. 

In the autumn of 1895, several bodies were exhumed 
from a private burial plot on the west side of the lake, 
that were found to be thoro'ly petrified. 

They were of chalky whiteness, and were very 
heavy, requiring the strength of several men to lift 
them to the surface of the ground. 

FATALITIES. 

Between 1790 and 1793, a man was killed near 
Monticello, by a falling tree. 

In the autumn of 1806, two Aiken children and a 
boy named Wood, were burned to death at the burn- 
ing of a log house, near Monticello. 



90 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

In 1808, while at work opening the 3rd Great West- 
ern Turnpike, a man named House was killed by the 
caving of a bank, near Guy Kinne's house on Main 
street. 

Early in this century, Indian John was drowned in 
Canadarago Lake. 

Some time during the summer of 1810, Jonathan 
Copp, a young man, was drowned in the Monticello 
millpond. 

On October 10th of the same year, Nathan Hawks 
was killed at the construction of a bridge over the 
Hyder, on the lake road. 

In June, 1814, several girls were riding upon a load 
of lumber, down the east side of Pray Hill. The team 
became frightened at the slipping of some boards and 
ran away. All were thrown off; and Myra Hodge 
and Eliza Whitney were killed. 

About the year 1832, in the spring, Thomas Layton 
was drowned in a small brook, a few rods south of 
Brighton. 

In the summer of 1834, James Moyer was drowned 
while bathing in the pond, afterward called Lake Clem- 
ent, at Richfield Springs. 

On the 13th of June, 1835, Samuel Palmer, a lad ot 
12 years, was drowned in a brook at Brighton. 

About the year 1845, Harriet Norton, a school-girl 
on the old road, was severely hurt during a punish- 
ment inflicted by her teacher, Spencer Hopkins, and 
died a few days afterward. So much was said about 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 91 

the affair, and Hopkins was told so many times that 
he "ought to be taken up," that he left the school and 
the neighborhood. 

April 14, 1848, John Brooks was killed by a falling 
beam, at a barn-raising on the Wilmarth farm, south of 
Monticello. 

April 9, 1854, Russell Chamberlin broke thro' the 
ice between the island and the eastern shore, and was 
drowned. 

In January, 1855, Albert Butler froze to death be- 
side the road, near the Black Bridge over Otskonoga 
creek. 

April 16, 1855, Ray Vaughn, a boy, was drowned in 
Hyder creek, in Monticello. 

Near the middle of Nov., 1857, Moses Wheeler, of 
Richfield Springs, was kicked by a horse, and died a 
few days afterward. 

November 23, 1857, Albert Culbert, a lad, was 
drowned while skating, in Lake Clement. 

June 12, 1859, Joseph Layton was drowned in 
the trout-pond on Egypt farm, near Richfield Springs. 

In the spring of 1859, Patrick McNamara killed his 
wife with a club. The tragedy occurred in a house, 
now gone, that stood on the Butternut Road, not far 
from the Lake House. The man was sentenced to life 
imprisonment and was pardoned after many years. 

On the 8th of June, 1861, Fred Wheeler, a child, was 
drowned in the Ocquionis, near the Scotch Cap factory. 

March 5, 1866, Mrs. William Brown was burned to 



92 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

death at her home in the northern part of the town. 

Earlj in September, 1869, James Roy, a young man, 
a guest at one of the hotels, was drowned while bath- 
ing near the Sunken Island. 

June 20, 1872, Willis Frazier was drowned while 
bathing in Lake Clement. 

October 10, 1874, Eck Freeman was drowned at 
night, in Lake Clement. 

On June 10, 1881, Hon. A. R. Elwood was killed 
by a fall into a basement, at the New American. 

May 7, 1882, Katie Kleinschmidt, a child, was 
drowned in Lake Clement. 

During the summer of the same year, a man named 
Murphy, fell several stories at the New American and 
was killed. 

On October 26, 1882, Lewis H. Flint was instantly 
killed, while duck hunting on Canadarago Lake, by the 
accidental discharge of a gun in the hands of Alfred 
Freeman. 

Some time during the night of January 18, 1883, 
Harvey Lay ton killed his wife, and his mother-in-law, 
Mrs. Young, with a hatchet, at his home on Walnut 
street. Later, he hanged himself. 

May 25, 1885, Patrick Heeney was killed by the 
caving of a ditch in Lake street. 

August 9, 1886, James Coppinger, a porter at the 
New American, drank by mistake, a quantity of aqua 
ammonia and died the next day in a Utica Hospital. 

October 22, 1890, W. F. Ginbey, a trackhand, was 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 9S 

killed by the cars while riding a track bicycle, near the 
Honestville crossing. 

July 18, 1891, James Taylor, colored, was killed in 
an elevator accident at the Earlington. 

February 27, 1892, James Bowmaker, a child, was 
drowned in the Ocquionis, near the rail-road bridge. 

October 4, 1895, James Morgan was killed by the 
cars near the Gano crossing. 

September 29, 1896, Edward Ennis was killed by 
the cars near the Switzer crossing. 

January 20, 1897, W. J. Cole was killed in a log- 
ging accident, in the western part of the town. 

The Hall and Layton shooting. On the evening 
of Aug. 17, 1882, John Hall and Scott Layton, poHce- 
men, were dangerously wounded by pistol-shots from a 
gang of burglars that they were about to arrest, at the 
corner of Main and Center streets. 

CHURCH SOCIETIES. 

St. Luke's Protestant Episcopal, was organized 
at Monticello, May 20, 1799, and was incorporated April 
28, 1801. Rev. Daniel Nash was the rector. It has 
been asserted that he was the original of Cooper's Par- 
son Grant. 

The first church edifice was erected in 1801, near 
Monticello. In 1832 it was taken down and a portion 
of the timbers was used when the present St. Luke's was 
built in Monticello, the same year. 



94 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

The First Congregational Church was organized 
at the hotel of Jacob Brewster in Monticello, February 
2, 1803, and was incorporated June 11, 1813. The first 
house of worship was finished in 1 804. An old town 
record states that on March 5, 1805, it was "voted that 
the next Annual Town Meeting be held at the Meet- 
ing House," and such meetings were held there many 
years. This building stood near the cemetery in the 
western part of Monticello, and was burned in 1822. 
A second church edifice was erected on the Warren 
Road, now Church street, in 1825. In 1868, the title 
of the society was changed, and became 

The First Presbyterian society. In 1876, the 
structure was torn down and was replaced by the hand- 
some church now standing. The dedication occurred 
July 26, 1877. In 1896, Mrs. Emmons Blaine, born 
McCormick, gave to the society an elegant and costly 
organ valued at $20,000, as a memorial to her husband. 
The formal presentation and acceptance took place Sun- 
day, October 29, 1896. Following is the pastoral rec- 
ord : Charles Wadsworth, 1823 ; John Shearer, 1827 ; 
Daniel Van Valkenburg, 1830 ; Wm. C. Boyce, 1844 ; 
Timothy B. Jervis, 1847 ; Henry Boynton, 1852 ; Mat- 
thew L. R. P. Hill, 1853 ; Chas. Wadsworth, 1854 ; 
Andrew Parsons, 1859 ; Frank H. Seeley, 1866 ; David 
M. Rankin, 1882 ; Samuel Van V. Holmes, 1887 ; Geo. 
Reynolds, 1892 ; Edmund G. Rawson, 1898. Organi- 
zations of the society : The Ladies' Society, Mission- 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 95 

ary Society, Y. P. S. C. E., Girls' Friendly Society, J. 
E. Society. 

The First Baptist Church was built at Monticello 
in 1824, and is still standing. The society existed sev- 
eral years before the erection of the house of worship. 

The First Universalist Church was organized at 
the American Hotel in East Richfield, kept by Cor- 
nelius M. Paul, May 23, 1833. The church edifice 
was built that year. At the services of dedication, G. 
R. T. Hewes, of whom, more in another place, marched 
up the aisle and presented the society a new pulpit 
Bible. Mr. Hewes at that time was 103 years old. In 
1872 the New York State Convention of Universalists 
was held in the newly enlarged and modernized edifice. 
Following is the pastoral list ; Orrin Roberts, 1834 ; 
L. C. Brown, 1835 ; T. J. Smith, 1836 ; J. S. Kibby, 
James Belden, Robert Queal, Phineas Hathaway, J. H. 
Tuttle, D. C. Tomlinson, W. E. Manley, L. C. Brown, 
1837-1861 ; S. R. Ward, 1862 ; T. D. Cook, 1873 ; S. 
R. Ward, 1877. Organizations: The Ladies' Society, 
Girls' Circle, Y. P. C. U. 

The Second Universalist Church was built in 
Monticello and dedicated Oct. 15, 1880. Rev. S. R. 
Ward was the first pastor. 

The Methodist Episcopal society of Brighton was 
organized prior to 1844, during which year the present 
church edifice was erected. The early pastors were : 
Isaac Foster, Elward Breckenridge, T. B. Rockwell, 
Robert Fox, D. Potter, B. B. Carruth, Mr. Meris and 



96 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

Mr. Griffin. Since the organization of the M. E. church 
in Richfield Springs, the clergymen assigned to that 
place have been the pastors of the Brighton church. 

St. John's Protestant Episcopal Church was or- 
ganized October 1, 1849, at the residence of George B. 
Gary, Richfield Springs. The first church edifice was 
built on the west side of Lake street opposite the Rec- 
tory, on land given by Augustus H. Ward, and was 
dedicated August 11, 1853. In 1879, this structure 
was torn down and a new one begun at the corner of 
Main and Elm streets, on a site donated by Edmund 
A. Ward. This was dedicated the following year. A 
list of settled rectors follows : Owen P. Thackara, 1851; 
James W. Capen, 1855 ; Robert T. Pearson, 1856 ; Jas. 
W. Capen, 1860 ; Charles L. Sykes, 1862 ; Joshua R. 
Peirce, 1870 ; Edward M. Pecke, 1872 ; Charles C. 
Fiske, 1878 ; Robert Granger, 1881 ; George B. Rich- 
ards, 1893 ; Scott M. Cooke, 1897. Organizations : St. 
John's Guild; Chancel Chapter, St. John's Guild ; Rec- 
tor's Aid Society. 

St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church. — The first 
Roman Catholic services were conducted by Rev. Jon- 
athan Furlong, in 1852 or 3. Mass was said by him 
at diff'erent times in private houses, and in the old 
Lake street school house. From that date till 1869, 
occasional services were held by priests located in 
Cooperstown : Rev. Fathers Fitzpatrick, Carroll, Clark, 
Murphy, and Brennan. During the pastorates of Rev. 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 97 

Fathers Devitt, 1869-78, and Hughes 1878-82, the 
society was an out-mission of Our Lady of the Lake, 
Cooperstown. In 1882 it was annexed to St. Joseph's 
parish, West Winfield. It was created a separate par- 
ish in 1889, with Rev. M. C. Gavin, rector. Rev. 
John V. Quinn was appointed rector in 1897. The 
church edifice was completed in 1870. Organizations: 
League of the Sacred Heart, Young Ladies' Sodality, 
Ladies' Altar Society. 

The First Methodist Episcopal Church of 
Richfield Springs. — In the spring of 1871, Rev. 
Olin C. Wightman was appointed to Warren 
charge, and fixed his residence in Richfield 
Springs. He began a series of meetings in Union 
Hall, May 21, 1871. Eight days later the society was 
incorporated. The church building was dedicated 
January 6, 1874. The list of ministers to this charge 
follows : 0. C. Wightman, 1871 ; A. G. Markham, 
1873 ; J. V. Ferguson, 1876 ; M. G. Wadsworth, 1879; 
C. E. Babcock, 1881 ; 0. C. Cole, 1884 ; J. L. Hum- 
phrey, 1885 ; Charles Sheard, 1888 ; W. R. Helms, 
1889 ; A. C. Loucks, 1894 ; A. J. Felshaw, 1896. Or- 
ganizations : Ladies' Aid Society, Epworth League, 
Helping Hand Junior League, Young Ladies' Sewing 
Circle. 

A. M. E. Church. — The society was organized June 
6, 1897, and it is expected that a house of worship 
will be erected soon. The pastor is Rev. J. D. Jack- 
son. Organizations : Willing Workers, Juvenile So- 
ciety. 



Points of Interest Near Richfield Springs. 



THE CANADARAGO BELT. 

The Canadarago Belt, or Drive, is the most justly 
celebrated of the many pleasant turns in this region, 
and compares favorably with any drive in this State. 
Its length is twelve miles and 130 rods. Over this 
distance, many exciting bicycle road-races of 25 and 
50 miles have been run. Along its course around the 
lake, at the foot of high hills, or thro' well-tilled 
savannahs, a most perfect view of Canadarago, " Squaw 
of the Sun," is to be had. The road winds in and out 
thro' dense pine forests and groves of deciduous trees, 
and across sunny, breeze-swept meads ; now, down to 
the water's edge, where the silver waves and singing 
sands unite in tinkling song ; then, up some lofty 
mount, affording a full view of the lake from head to 
foot, with its embosoming hills on every side. Here, 
in summer, the wealth, beauty, and fashion of the na- 
tion, daily throng to witness and enjoy the sparkling 
beauties of the lake, and the glorious splendors of the 
landscape, grandly displayed in miles of charm. Near 
the eastern shore, like an emerald in a setting of golden 
sun-glint, lies De-o-won-go, the beautiful island, not far 
away from the spot where more than eighty years ago, 
her unfortunate sister was swept out of existence. A 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 99 

most charming view of this islet gem is obtainable 
from the top of Perkins Hill. 

NINE HILL. 

On the west side of Canadarago Lake, flanking the 
road, rises grandly from the murmuring waves of the 
pebbly beach to its oak-crowned pinnacle, the massive 
bulk of Nine Hill. Many years ago its name came from 
the fact that nine farms were embraced, in part, upon 
its broad bosom. From its lofty summit can be ob- 
tained a magnificent view of the lake and the high 
range of hills to the southward. From its base flows 
a spring of ice-cold water of crystalline clearness, that 
purls constantly into one of T. R. Proctor's memorial 
drinking fountains, that proclaims to passers, in ada- 
mantine letters, that The Merciful Man is Merciful to 
his Beast. 

PRAY HILL. 

More than a hundred j^ears ago Richard and William 
Pray, " down-east Yankees," settled upon the land em- 
bracing this hight, situated about three miles west of 
Richfield Springs, near Brighton. From this eminence, 
where the winds blow on the stillest summer day, a 
broad scene of terrene beauty stretches to the eastward 
over several counties. Down its eastern slope, many 
years ago, occurred a terrible runaway accident that 
resulted in the death of two little girls, and the serious 
wounding of others. 



100 ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

SUNSET HILL. 

A small eminence at the northern edge of the vil- 
lage of Richfield Springs, is so named from the fine 
view of summer sunsets to be had there, as the broad 
shield of the orb of day sinks behind the battlements 
of Nine and Pray Hills. From this sightly elevation 
the village of Richfield Springs can be seen stretching 
away thro' the valley of the Ocquionis. Beyond, Cana- 
darago reflects the glinting sunlight, and mirrors the 
white, lazily floating clouds. A hundred years ago, 
this mount was Abbott's Hill, as it was the site of the 
home of Aaron Abbott. Later, it was Butternut Hill, 
from the big butternut trees that stood, within the 
memory of the small boys of thirty years ago, upon its 
roadside summit. Clayton Lodge, the McCormick 
summer home, perches upon its highest point, com- 
manding an enchanting view of village, lake and hills. 
Its eastern slopes are a part of the links of the Waion- 
tha Golf Club. • 

GUNSET HILL. 

This high hill is on the old Indian trail leading 
from the Mohawk castles on the river of that name, to 
the lands of the other Iroquois nations, that Generals 
Sullivan and Clinton laid waste in 1799. It is about 
a mile west of the sulphur village, in full view of it. 
Here, stretching afar over hill and dale, one can behold 
a scene of marvelous beauty and grandeur. The hill 



ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 101 

took its name from the fact that upon it the early set- 
tlers used to set guns for bears, which were very nu- 
merous about it in the old days. 

WAIONTHA MOUNTAIN. 

About two miles east of Richfield Springs is Waion- 
tha Mountain, the highest peak near the village. From 
an observatory that once stood upon its summit, broad 
views of Otsego, Schoharie, Greene, Chenango, Madi- 
son, Oneida, Herkimer, Hamilton, Montgomery, and 
Fulton counties, were easily obtainable ; and glimpses 
of Otsego, the Waionthas, Mud, Canadarago and Al- 
len's lakes could be seen nestling among the emerald 
hills. The name was given on account of its proxim- 
ity to the two small lakes called in the Oneida dialect, 
Wa-i-on-tha, meaning By the Big Hill. 

DE-0-WON-GO. 

This beautiful little island in Canadarago Lake, con- 
tains about nine acres of high, dry ground, covered 
with a heavy growth of native trees and shrubs. It is 
a favorite point for excursions, and picnic parties. 
Daniel Wormer purchased it from the State in 1850, 
and since 1868 it has been the property of Edmund 
A. Ward, of Richfield Springs. De-o-won-go, in the 
tongue of the Oneidas, signifies Place of Hearing, a 
phrase applied, because a notable echo was there before 
the forests were destroyed. 



10^ ANNALS OF RICHFIELD. 

PANTHER MOUNTAIN. 

This eminence is situated on the southeastern shore 
of Canadarago Lake, near Schuyler Lake village, and 
was said to be a favorite hunting ground for the 
Panther, an Indian that formerly lived in this region. 
It stands within the limits of The Twelve Thousand. 
Here, at an early day, bears, deer, panthers, and other 
animals were numerous. 

MOHEGAN HILL. 

This is a high hill nearly south of Waiontha, that 
rises boldly from the western shores of Allen's Lake. 
Its top affords a noble prospect. The name is an arbi- 
trary one. 



ONE COPY RECn 
AUG 4 ! 1898 



